2026 Hokkai Soran Festival: A Full-Day Course

This full-day course centers on the 'Hokkai Soran Festival' (August 9, 2026, at Yoichi Port—note this is a change from the previous venue beside JR Yoichi Station), held in Yoichi, a town known for whisky and fruit. During the day, tour the red-roofed buildings and history at Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery, then trace the town's development through fishing and the herring-fishing boom at the Yoichi Town Museum. Next, encounter exhibits unique to this hometown of an astronaut at the Yoichi Space Museum Dome, and grab a bite of the local fruit and specialties at the adjacent roadside station Space Apple Yoichi. The festival runs from 16:00 to 20:00, with circles of dancers spreading out to the energetic calls and rhythm of the Soran Bushi. Fireworks are also scheduled around 19:15, making for a Yoichi-style day filled with food, history, and dance, wrapped in the blessings of sea and land.