Between the Sea of Japan and green hills, visit Yoichi. The town has several apple orchards and is the birthplace of the nation’s first NASA astronaut. Go fruit picking, visit a space museum and tour a whiskey distillery. Enjoy the beaches and admire jaw-dropping rock formations.
Begin at the Yoichi Fisheries Museum. Models of bezaisen ships and displays of historical artifacts recount the town’s prior flourishing herring trade. Yoichi Space Museum celebrates the 1992 mission of local astronaut Mamoru Mohri. See a scale model of the International Space Station, watch movies about the solar system and browse examples of space clothing and food.
Free guided tours of the Nikka Whiskey Distillery present insights into the Japanese whiskey industry. Observe the distilling process, learn about the distillery’s history and sample single malts. Try wine tastings and tours of a vineyard, bottling and storage plant at Yoichi Winery.
Discover the town’s fruit-growing heritage and pick seasonal crops, including apples, peaches and strawberries, at the Yamamoto Orchard. In springtime the Yoichigawa River Cherry Blossom Trees dazzle in shades of pink and white. Study hundreds of mysterious drawings and petroglyphs at Fugoppe Cave. Dating back 2,000 years to the Jomon period, these are among the earliest signs of prehistoric life on Hokkaido.
Enjoy warm summer days swimming, kayaking and camping at Ranshima Beach. Surfers come to ride the swells of Yoichi Bay in spring and autumn. Travel west along the coastal road to see a collection of eye-catching rock formations. Ebisu Iwa and Daikoku Iwa are rocks named for their resemblance to Japanese gods. Photograph Candle Rock when the sun sets behind the pillar looking like the flame of a candle.
Winters are characterized with blankets of heavy snowfall. Ski and snowboard on family-friendly slopes at Niki Chomin Ski Area and Kiroro Ski Resort.
Ride a train from Sapporo to Yoichi in 1.5 to 2 hours. With historical, natural and sporting attractions, this is a great destination for a Hokkaido vacation.
