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[2025 Edition] 10 Recommended Driving Spots Near Yoichi and Shakotan! Scenic spots overlooking the crystal clear blue coastline
The Yoichi-Shakotan area is an area full of attractions where you can enjoy seafood such as sea urchin, fruits such as apples and cherries, Hokkaido wineries and whiskey distilleries while gazing at the crystal clear sea known as "Shakotan Blue". We will introduce you to some spots in the Yoichi-Shakotan area that you will want to stop by while driving along the coastline.
- A spectacular view of the Shakotan blue from the observation deck at Cape Ogon (Shakotan Town)
- After the tour, you can enjoy a free whiskey tasting at Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery (Yoichi Town)
- Cape Kamui and Kamui Rock (Shakotan Town) jutting out dynamically into the ocean
- "Fruit Park Niki" (Niki Town) is a rural park themed around the fruits that are a specialty of Niki Town.
- Travel back in time to the former herring barracks: Yamashime Barracks (Shakotan Town)
- Cape Ryujin (Kamienai Village) - A spectacular view of the sunset
- Fugoppe Cave (Yoichi Town), where rock carvings from the Jomon period remain
- "Yoichi Space Memorial Museum - Space Dome - (Yoichi Town)" is full of space-related exhibits that parents and children can enjoy together.
- The Former Shimoyoichi Unjoya (Yoichi Town) where you can learn about the state of trade by the Matsumae Domain
- Former Yoichi Fukuhara Fishing Grounds (Yoichi Town) - A reminder of the prosperity of the herring fishing industry's heyday
1. Cape Ogon (Shakotan Town): A spectacular view of the Shakotan Blue from an observation deck
Cape Ogon in the Mikuni area of Shakotan Town is an ocean view spot on the Sea of Japan where you can see a magnificent view that shines golden, as its name suggests. The dazzlingly clear cobalt blue sea, known as "Shakotan Blue," fascinates all who visit. By walking about 410 meters from Mikuni Port, you will reach the observation deck jutting out into the sea. From the observation deck, you can see the clear blue sea, steep cliffs, and the townscape of Mikuni, making it a spot you cannot miss in the Yoichi/Shakotan area.
■Location: Mikuni-cho, Shakotan-cho, Shakotan-gun Click here for details and map information on "Kogane Misaki"
2. After the tour, enjoy a free whiskey tasting at Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery (Yoichi Town)
The distillery was founded in 1934 by Taketsuru Masataka, known as the father of Japanese whiskey. In January 2023, the former whiskey museum was completely renovated and reopened as the Nikka Museum. Amidst architecture reminiscent of Scotland and blessed with natural beauty, you can learn about the manufacturing methods and processes of whiskey. Inside the museum, there are exhibits on the history of whiskey and the origins of Nikka, and you can also see part of the private home where Taketsuru and his wife Rita, the model for the main character in the NHK morning drama series "Massan," lived.
■ Business hours: 9:00-16:15 ・Guided distillery tours: 9:30-12:00 / 13:00-14:30 *Held every hour on the hour and half past the hour (closed at 12:30) *Reservations required ・Nikka Museum: 9:15-16:15 (tasting bar last order 16:00) ・Distillery Shop: 9:15-16:15 ・Restaurant: 10:00-15:50 (last orders 15:20) ■Closed: December 23rd to January 7th of the following year *The facility will be closed on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 for maintenance. ■Fee: Free *Paid tours, seminars, and other events available ■Address: 7-6 Kurokawacho, Yoichi-cho For details and maps of "Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery", click here
3. Cape Kamui and Kamui Rock (Shakotan Town): A dramatic cliff jutting out into the ocean
You can walk to the tip of Cape Kamui, which juts out into the ocean, and follow the promenade "Charenka Path," which offers a magnificent view of the Sea of Japan, and a 300-degree rounded horizon spreads out before you. In early summer, the beautiful blooming of day lilies soothes visitors.
■Opening hours: Normal April 8:00-17:30 / May 8:00-18:00 / June 8:00-18:30 / July 8:00-18:00 / August-October 8:00-17:30 / November 8:00-16:30 / December-March 10:00-15:00 *Last admission is 1 hour before closing time. ■Location: Cape Kamui, Kamimisaki-cho, Shakotan-cho, Shakotan-gun Click here for details and maps of "Kamui Cape and Kamui Rock"
4. Fruit Park Niki (Niki Town): A rural park themed around the famous fruits of Niki Town
In the large garden, fruits such as cherries and apples, which are Niki Town specialties, and flowers such as lavender are cultivated, and you can enjoy fruit picking and flowers from early summer to autumn. There is also a jumbo slide that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, a cafe restaurant, a shop selling local specialties, and accommodation facilities. You can enjoy the great outdoors of Niki Town to your heart's content.
■Opening hours: April 20th to the end of October, 9:00-18:00 ■ Fee: Free admission *Some fees apply for fruit picking, equipment, etc. ■Address: 121 Higashimachi 16-chome, Niki-cho, Yoichi-gun For details and maps of "Rural Park Fruit Park Niki" please click here
5. Travel back in time at the former herring guardhouse "Yamashime Training Center (Shakotan Town)"
The Yamashime Herring Training Center is a herring culture facility that preserves and utilizes the Yamashime Fukui residence, which once flourished as a herring watchhouse. It tells the history of Shakotan, which flourished as one of the leading herring fishing grounds from the Meiji to Showa periods. There is also a cafe, so you can take your time and feel like you've traveled back in time.
■Opening hours: May to late October, 9:00 to 16:00 ■ Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays ■Address: 39 Funama, Mikuni-cho, Shakotan-cho Click here for details and maps of "Herring Training Center Yamashime Banya"
6. Cape Ryujin (Kamienai Village) - See the spectacular sunset
This cape is colored by the village's legend of the dragon god, who lives in Tomaru Swamp and ascended to heaven from Cape Ryujin. It has saved the lives of sailors as a guidepost on their routes, just as it did in the past. On clear evenings, you can enjoy the spectacular view of the sun setting over the horizon.
■Location: Torase, Kamenai Village, Kou District Click here for details and map information on "Ryujin Cape"
7. Fugoppe Cave (Yoichi Town): A cave with rock carvings from the Jomon period
This cave is home to over 800 rock carvings believed to have been carved by ancient people during the late Jomon period, about 1600 to 1300 years ago. The carvings on the rock walls range from people in costume to boats, fish, sea creatures, and four-legged animals. Pottery, bone and horn tools, and hearth remains have also been discovered in the sedimentary soil layers within the cave, making it a nationally designated historic site that is considered to be of global importance.
■ Business hours: April 12th (Saturday) to December 14th (Sunday) 9:00-16:30 ■Closed: Every Monday, the day after public holidays, and from mid-February to early April ■Price: Adults 300 yen / Elementary, junior high and high school students 100 yen ■Address: 87 Sakaemachi, Yoichi-cho Click here for details and map information on "Fugoppe Cave"
8. Yoichi Space Memorial Museum - Space Dome - (Yoichi Town) - Full of space-related exhibits that parents and children can enjoy
It was built in 1992 to commemorate the achievement of Mamoru Mohri, a native of Yoichi Town, who became the first Japanese scientist to become an astronaut. Inside the museum, you can learn about the mysteries of space and the latest information on space development at the "Space Station." This is a particularly recommended spot for children who love space.
■Opening hours: April 19th (Saturday) to November 30th (Sunday) 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:00) ■Closed on: Every Monday (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday), April 22nd (Tuesday), May 13th (Tuesday), August 26th (Tuesday) ■Price: Adults 500 yen / Elementary and junior high school students 300 yen / Infants free ■Location: 6-4 Kurokawacho, Yoichi-cho, inside Roadside Station Space Apple Yoichi For details and maps of "Yoichi Space Memorial Museum -Space Dome-", please click here.
9. Former Shimoyoichi Unjo-ya (Yoichi Town) - Learn about trade by the Matsumae Domain
During the Edo period, this building was used as a base for merchants who were contracted to trade with the Ainu people, who were part of the Matsumae Domain, to manage Ezo. Unjoya houses were built all over Ezo at that time, but the former Shimo Yoichi Unjoya is the only one that remains in Hokkaido today. The interior is spacious, and the pillars and beams that can be seen from between the wooden boards are thick, with many of the original materials remaining intact.
■ Business hours: April 12th (Saturday) to December 14th (Sunday) 9:00-16:30 ■Closed: Every Monday (open if Monday is a public holiday), the day after a public holiday ■Price: Adults 300 yen / Elementary, junior high and high school students 100 yen ■Address: 10 Irifune-cho, Yoichi-cho For details and maps of "Kyu Shimoyoichi Unjoya" please click here
10. Former Yoichi Fukuhara Fishing Grounds (Yoichi Town): A reminder of the prosperity of the herring fishing industry's heyday
This spot is a designated national cultural asset that conveys the prosperity of the herring fishing industry at its peak. It was also the model for the interior of the Herring Palace that appeared in the NHK morning drama series "Massan." Within the large grounds, you can learn about the layout and function of each building, and get a feel for how prosperous it was at the time. It is also famous as a cherry blossom viewing spot in the spring.
■ Business hours: April 12th (Saturday) to mid-December 9:00-16:30 ■Closed on Mondays (open if Monday is a public holiday), and the day after a public holiday ■Price: Adults 300 yen / Elementary, junior high and high school students 100 yen ■Address: 150 Hamanakacho, Yoichi-cho Click here for details and map information on "Old Yoichi Fukuhara Fishing Grounds"
*All information listed is current as of May 2025. *All published information may be subject to change, so please check the official website for details.
