The distance from Sapporo to Yoichi Town is less than 60 kilometers.
You might be thinking that while it's the perfect distance for a short drive, you're not quite sure what route to take or where to stop.

So, this time, we'll introduce you to a driving route recommended by local residents.
This article explains a course that even first-time visitors to Hokkaido can enjoy, so why not fully experience Sapporo, Otaru, and Yoichi by car or rental car?

<Table of Contents>
1. Course Overview
2. Tourist spots from Sapporo to Yoichi
2-1. (Cafe) View Cafe Your Time
2-2. Fugoppe Cave
2-3. Yamamoto Tourist Orchard
2-4. Kakizaki Shoten Seafood Workshop
2-5. Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery
2-6. Michi-no-Eki Space Apple Yoichi
3. Things to be careful of when driving
3-1. Traffic congestion points
3-2. Drive carefully

The usual route from Sapporo to Otaru is via the Sapporo-Otaru Expressway.
However, the congestion is mainly within Sapporo city. Once you leave Sapporo, the traffic flows relatively smoothly.
National Route 5 is two lanes in each direction all the way to Otaru City. It should be easy to drive on.

After leaving Otaru City, continue along National Route 5 to Yoichi Town. The road becomes one lane in each direction partway through.
The traffic volume itself isn't that high. Since it's mostly a straight road, you're unlikely to get lost.

Let's start our drive! The route from Sapporo to Yoichi is full of spots that will satisfy both your heart and your stomach.
This time, I've arbitrarily selected my personal recommendations from among them. I'll be sharing some in-depth information about the local area.

2-1. (Cafe) View Cafe Your Time

Leaving Sapporo city and entering Zenibako, the traffic volume decreases considerably. With the sea on our right, we enter View Cafe, a popular local cafe.
The secret lies in the view. Located on a hill overlooking the Sea of ​​Japan, its almost cliffside location is priceless.

A horizon so vast it draws you in. A sky of exceptional clarity and blueness. This pure and unadulterated scenery, unique to Hokkaido, will surely leave a lasting impression on your heart.
If you're lucky, you might be able to sit on the second-floor terrace where you can enjoy the pleasant sea breeze.

The drinks and food menu will pleasantly surprise you if you think that a nice view is all you need.
The waffles were beautifully presented, rivaling the scenery, and the iced coffee had a deep flavor, much like the color of the sea.
Popular food items on the menu include braised pork curry and pork ginger plate.

Opened last August, this popular spot has proven its worth. It's a great place for both lunch and coffee. Highly recommended.

[Spot Details: View Cafe Your Time]
Address: 351 Harisu-cho, Otaru City, Hokkaido
Phone: 0134-62-1239
Opening hours: 11:00 - 19:00
Closed on Tuesdays (or the following Wednesday if Tuesday is a public holiday).
<Sample Menu>
★Crispy Waffle with Coarse Sugar - Vanilla Set 730 yen
★.View Cafe Original City Roast 480 yen
★Pork Ginger Plate 840 yen, etc.

2-2. Fugoppe Cave

After leaving Otaru City and entering Yoichi Town, you'll soon come across Fugoppe Cave.
This is another hidden gem worth visiting. It's rare to find such a place anywhere in Japan, where you can see cave paintings in their original state.

The site features a variety of designs and abundant artifacts. It is estimated to be a Jomon period site dating back approximately 2000 to 1500 years ago.
This site is unique in Japan, with the only other similar site being the Temiya ruins in Otaru. Similar sites have been discovered overseas, such as in Russia, making it both valuable and important.
This is the archaeological site where these structures are preserved like capsules.

The exhibition includes stone tools and tools made from animal bones that you might only have seen in textbook photos.
Although it may seem unassuming, it ranks among the top 20 archaeological sites in Japan, alongside places like the Yoshinogari Ruins. You simply have to see it.

Looking at the murals, you'll be struck by the feeling that the lives of the people of the Jomon period, who existed only in Hokkaido, are coming back to life.

[Spot Details: Fugoppe Cave]
Address: 87 Sakaemachi, Yoichi-cho, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido MAP
Telephone number: 0135-22-6170
Operating hours: 9:00 AM - 16:30 PM
Closed days: Every Monday and the day after a public holiday (closed from mid-December to early April)

2-3. Yamamoto Tourist Orchard

Image provided by: Yamamoto Tourist Orchard

Hokkaido is one of the oldest regions in Japan where apple cultivation began, and for a long time, it was the top producer of apples in the country.
The Shiribeshi region, stretching from Yoichi to Niki and Kyowa towns, is the main production area.
There are numerous orchards and fruit-picking spots scattered throughout the area.

Image provided by: Yamamoto Tourist Orchard

Among them, the most popular is Yamamoto Tourist Orchard.
They supply apple pies to Hokkaido product exhibitions all over the country, and their deliciousness is known to those in the know.
Even in Hokkaido, a region renowned for its delicious sweets, this confectionery is sure to impress even the most discerning connoisseurs.

Early summer at Yamamoto Tourist Orchard is cherry-picking season, with the peak season starting around June.

The pale pink fruits, hanging abundantly from the trees, sparkle and glitter in the strong, unobstructed sunlight of the northern land.
With just one bite, you'll experience a vibrant aroma, intense sweetness, and refreshing acidity.
One of the greatest joys of travel is experiencing things that can only be enjoyed in this place, at this moment.

Image provided by: Yamamoto Tourist Orchard

Even though it's a little off the main route, National Route 5, it's definitely worth experiencing.
We also sell juices and apple pies as souvenirs.

[Spot Details: Yamamoto Tourist Orchard]
Address: 1102-5 Nobori-cho, Yoichi-cho, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido
Telephone number: 0135-23-6251
Operating hours: 9:00 AM - 17:00 PM
Closed: Mid-November to early June of the following year (Open every day during the operating season)
Price:
★All-you-can-eat course: Adults 1,100 yen, Elementary school students 880 yen
★All-you-can-eat/pick-your-own course: Adults 1,850 yen, Elementary school students 1,630 yen
★Apple pie 320 yen

2-4. Kakizaki Shoten Seafood Workshop

Photo by Flickr: Salmon caviar by MIKI Yoshihito. (#mikiyoshihito)

Yoichi Town, located at the base of the Shakotan Peninsula, naturally boasts an abundance of seafood.
If you're looking for a place to have lunch in Yoichi... Kakizaki Shoten is a restaurant overwhelmingly supported by locals.
It's such a popular restaurant that you often hear people say they give up because there's always a huge line.

Photo by Flickr: KAKIZAKI Shoten.by MIKI Yoshihito. (#mikiyoshihito)

This restaurant is known for being cheap and delicious, and it's worth waiting in line for.
That's no surprise, as the parent company is a fish shop. The owner is probably busy every day in search of the tastiest fish possible.
It's still a little while until the sea urchin fishing season opens in early summer, but all the sea urchins you eat will be delicious.

The most popular dish is the "cousin bowl," a combination of salmon and salmon roe, because they are not directly related as parent and child.
Especially now, April is the perfect time for sweet shrimp.

There is no parking lot, so you will need to use a coin-operated parking lot, but it is still a worthwhile place to visit. I highly recommend it.

[Spot Details: Kakizaki Shoten Seafood Workshop]
Address: 7-25 Kurokawa-cho, Yoichi-cho, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido, Kakizaki Shoten 2F
Telephone number: 0135-22-3354
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 19:00 PM (Last Order) Open on Sundays
Closed holiday: irregular holiday
<Sample Menu>
★Cousin Donburi (rice bowl) 1,100 yen
★Seafood rice bowl 1,270 yen, etc.

★Travel with JAL! Classic Sapporo & Otaru Tour★

2-5. Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery

Yoichi is the town that served as the setting for the morning TV drama series "Massan." Naturally, I decided to stop by.
As you pass through the main gate, behind the majestic stone wall, a faint, pleasant aroma of whiskey fills the air.
Once you go inside, you'll see that the grounds, including the storage facilities, are quite vast.

Even during the slightly chilly off-season, there's a constant stream of people strolling around the grounds.
While you are free to visit on your own, it's recommended to book a guided tour at a set time.
You can take a guided tour of the factory without wasting any time, and you can even sample some whiskey at the end.
Since drinking alcohol is naturally prohibited when driving, I opted for apple juice from Yoichi town. This also has a refreshing taste.

Unfortunately, Hokkaido does have its disappointing points. However, this particular factory will not disappoint you at all.
A beautiful building and impeccable service. There are few things that are more wonderful in person than they appear in text, videos, or photographs.
You should definitely visit. The large number of repeat visitors is proof of that.

[Spot Details: Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery]
Address: 7-6 Kurokawa-cho, Yoichi-cho, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido
Telephone number: 0135-23-3131
Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 17:00 PM *Last entry for guided distillery tours is 15:30 PM

2-6. Michi-no-Eki Space Apple Yoichi

Our goal for this trip is this roadside station. Although it's called the goal, it's actually right next to the Nikka Whisky factory.
Yoichi Town is the hometown of astronaut Mamoru Mohri, and its name is a combination of space and the town's famous apples.

While some roadside rest areas are located in hard-to-find places away from the main street, this one is in a very easy-to-find location, so you don't need to worry about that.
The parking lot is large and easy to park in, but it gets quite crowded during the peak season in August.
The Yoichi Space Museum is located on the premises, and it seems like kids will really enjoy it, especially with the planetarium.

The souvenir shop is packed with products like apple pies from Yamamoto Tourist Orchard and Yoichi wine, so you'll probably have a hard time choosing a souvenir.
On the other hand, for food, you can also try "Takeya" or "Kakizaki Shoten Kaisen Kobo" located across the street.

[Spot Details: Michi-no-Eki Space Apple Yoichi]
Address: 6-4-1 Kurokawa-cho, Yoichi-cho, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido
Telephone number: 0135-22-1515
Closed days: Open every day (mid-April to early November)
Every Monday (early November to mid-April)
Opening hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (mid-April to early November)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Early November - Mid-April)

3-1. Traffic congestion points

The main point of congestion is National Route 5 within Sapporo city. Traffic flow is not very good from in front of the station to near Teine Station.
The area around Miyanosawa, where Shiroi Koibito Park is located, is particularly prone to traffic congestion because two major roads converge there.
To avoid this, it's smoother to use the expressway, even just within Sapporo city limits.

In Otaru city, traffic congestion is common from the Wakatake intersection on National Route 5 to the area in front of Otaru Station, or near the Otaru Canal.
The Sapporo area tends to be crowded in the evening, while the Yoichi area tends to be crowded after 10 AM when tourist numbers increase.
If you're heading back towards Sapporo in the evening, it's smoother to take Prefectural Road 956 (Otaru Ring Road) and use the Asarigawa Interchange.

3-2. Drive carefully

There are three points to keep in mind.

From Zenibako through Hariusu to Asarigawa, the surrounding traffic is quite fast. There are no traffic lights and the road is smooth, but be careful as some drivers speed along the 60 km/h speed limit road. There is one speed camera installed.

Secondly, the right-turn lanes are poorly designed. Sapporo's roads, designed with winter snow removal in mind, don't have very wide right-turn lanes. Please be very careful to avoid rear-end collisions.

Thirdly, when traveling from Otaru to Yoichi, National Route 5 will lose its left lane, changing from two lanes in each direction to one lane. Drive carefully. Try to change lanes early.

Final thoughts

How was that.
In most cases, this route offers a pleasant journey along the coast.
Especially from early summer to autumn, this course allows you to enjoy the changing colors of the sea, the unique rock formations of the Sea of ​​Japan, and the autumn foliage of the mountains all at once.

You can enjoy Japan's history, the scenery of Hokkaido, its agricultural and marine products, and the warmth of its people. Driving isn't too much of a chore either.
In a sense, it should result in a very well-balanced drive.
Please try it.

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