Yomogita

Yomogita (蓬田) is a village in Tsugaru Peninsula, Aomori.

Understand

A fishing and farming village on the Mutsu Bay outside Aomori City, Yomogita is no tourist destination. But if you're passing through on a drive, a bike tour, or a Seishun-18 ticket, there are a few nice stops.

Get in

From Aomori: local trains on the JR East Tsugaru Line stop at Nakazawa, Yomogita, Gosawa, and Seheji stations before continuing north to Sotoghama Town. There are 8 or 9 trains a day. By car, Yomogita is about half an hour from central Aomori City.

From Hakodate, Hokkaido: Hakucho and Super Hakucho stop at Kanita Station. You can transfer to the local Tsugaru Line there, or take a taxi.

Get around

Walk, drive, or use a taxi.

• Kanita Kanko Taxi, ☏ +81 120-054-915. 
• Kanita Taxi, ☏ +81 120-391-881. 

See

• 1 hydrangeas near Seheji station (leaving Seheji station, turn left on the first small street. Go under the red torii gate and follow the path through the woods. Keep walking past the wooden viewing tower until you reach the slope covered in hydrangea bushes.). Hydrangeas usually bloom in July. 
• Tamamatsu-dai (玉松台). A small park with a monument to villagers who went off to war, and also to a pine tree, Tamamatsu. To find Tamamatsu, stand among the monuments and look up at the trees (away from the sea), you look for pine with branches that form a circle shape. This tree was supposedly a landmark to those in centuries past traveling from Hokkaido by boat. The park itself is not particularly well maintained, but it's a nice spot to sit and gaze at the sea. 

Do

• 1 Summer Craft School (夏の工芸学校) (10 minute walk from Seheji station). This small arts and crafts fair takes place in a quaint old school building by the sea, now the village Culture and Folklore Museum (文化伝承館). In addition to the dusty artifacts piled in the hallway, for one weekend in August the wooden gym is filled with cute handmade treasures, antiques, and traditional crafts. Coffee and lunch are available, and hands-on workshops are held throughout the weekend. 
• 2 Yomogi Hot Spring (よもぎ温泉) (10 minute walk from Gosawa station), ☏ +81 174-27-2170. Hot spring bath. After your soak, stop by the cute country ice cream stand among the vegetable gardens across the street. 
• Hiking. Most of the village land is mountains. Hike to Kurotaki waterfall or climb Okura-dake. Be aware that there have been alleged bear sightings, and there are definitely monkeys. 
• Tamamatsu Beach. Picnic, barbecue, or wade in the waves. There's a festival here in August with events for kids, performances, and grilled scallop samples. Be smart about swimming; this beach has a history of drownings. 

Eat

Yomogita's specialties are scallops and tomatoes, especially the Momotaro and Baby Baby varieties.

• Marche (マルシェ) (at Tamamatsu Beach). In the summer, you can buy the touted local tomatoes at this produce market by the sea. They also sell Yomogita's gourmet ketchup, yomogi (mugwort) tea, rice, and other local produce. There's also a cafeteria serving ramen, ice cream, and picnic food for beachgoers. 
• Tamamatsu Shokudo (across the street from Marche and Tamamatsu Beach). Katsudon, teishoku, and other hearty lunches for locals and travelers alike. 
• 1 Yomotto (よもっと) (on Route 280). A roadside station (michi no eki) selling local produce (including tomatoes) and edible souvenirs from around the prefecture. They also serve ramen - the signature Yomotto ramen has scallops and sea urchin in it. 
• Mori Kashiten (森菓子店), Yomogita, Amidagawa, Shiohoshi−114−15 (on Route 280, a green house across the street and just north of Circle K). The village's main sweet treat: Mori's fry balls. Deep fried dough rolled in sugar, filled with sweet bean paste. Take some for the road. 
• 2 Waraku (和楽) (on Route 280 halfway between the Circle K and the Lawson.). A casual sushi restaurant, brand new in December 2014. 

Drink

• Torise (とり清), Yomogita, Nakazawa, Namigaeshi−1−1 (on Matsumae Highway; 10 minute walk from Nakazawa Station). Local yakitori tavern. 

Sleep

No lodging here - plan to stay in Aomori City or at a campground further up the peninsula.

Go next

• Aomori
• Cape Tappi - the tip of the Tsugaru Peninsula
• Shimokita - a ferry to Wakinosawa leaves from Kanita, a few minutes north of Yomogita.
• Hakodate
• Sotogahama
• Imabetsu
• Nakadomari
• Goshogawara
• Aomori