A Weekend of Camping, Dinosaurs, and Unexpected Encounters in Yoichi

One of the best camping weekends I’ve had this year was our little trip to Yoichi with my husband, Shingo.

Nitori Dinosaur Park in Yoichi Town, Hokkaido

I’ve been to this town countless times since 2015, but somehow, every visit gives me another beautiful memory to keep. Yoichi may be a familiar place to me by now, but there is always something new to discover.

This was our third time traveling around the area together as a couple. We checked in at a small but unique campsite called PAL Yoichi, located near Yoichi Station. There were only a few campers that day—probably just three families, including us, staying overnight.

Yoichi Station

The campsite owners were a Japanese couple who originally lived in Sapporo. They would come by whenever they had guests staying at the campsite. They were incredibly friendly and accommodating, which made our stay feel even more comfortable.

After checking in and setting up our tent, Shingo and I drove to Yoichi Station to look for a quick lunch. We stopped at a small pizza place called Farm to Peel that served delicious oven-baked pizza at an affordable price. We also noticed quite a few foreign tourists walking around the area. It seems that Yoichi has been becoming more and more popular with visitors every year.

After lunch, we headed back to the station to collect stamps and explore the area. The station's interior had been renovated, and there was now a small café and even a wine bar inside. I don't remember seeing anything like that when I first visited Yoichi ten years ago. I think these new additions make the station a much more interesting attraction for tourists.

Dinosaurs in Yoichi?!

From there, we drove to our next destination: Nitori Yoichi Town Dinosaur Park.

It was a relatively new attraction, especially for children—and for children at heart who love dinosaurs!

The park was small, but it featured surprisingly realistic replicas of various prehistoric creatures, including the famous T. rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Brontosaurus, just to name a few. There were also several dinosaurs that were completely new to me.

What made the experience even more fun was that some of the dinosaur replicas could move and make sounds. Standing next to them while they roared and moved their heads really made me imagine what these creatures might have been like when they were actually alive millions of years ago.

This park was made originally for children, but adults can enjoy it, too!

Admission was also quite reasonable: 500 yen for children and 1,000 yen for adults. Not bad at all for such an interesting little attraction!

The park is also open until November this year, so dinosaur fans still have plenty of time to visit.

A Little Station-Hopping

Part of our itinerary was also to visit some of the nearby train stations to collect stamps and take pictures.

We stopped by Niki, Shioya, and Zenibako Stations, each offering something a little different. I’ve always enjoyed visiting small stations in Hokkaido. Sometimes there isn't much to see, but simply being there, taking a few pictures, and adding another stamp to my collection makes the journey more memorable.

After our little station-hopping adventure, we stopped at the Trial supermarket in Otaru to buy some food for our barbecue. The supermarket itself was newly built, and it made me realize once again how much the towns around Otaru have been changing.

Places that I’ve visited for years seem to be slowly evolving, with new shops, attractions, and facilities appearing every time I return.

An Unexpected Filipino Encounter

That afternoon, we returned to the campsite and began preparing for our barbecue.

Then something completely unexpected happened.

We met a fellow Filipino traveler who happened to be living in Australia. She was traveling around Hokkaido by bicycle!

At first, we thought she was Chinese or perhaps from Singapore. But then she told me that she could speak Tagalog.

I was probably the happiest person at the campsite that day!

It always feels special to unexpectedly meet another Filipino while living abroad, especially in a quiet little campsite in Hokkaido. Even though we had only just met, it immediately felt like we had something familiar connecting us.

Shingo and I invited her to join us for our barbecue, and we ended up talking for hours that evening.

We shared stories about traveling, living abroad, Japan, and life in general. It was one of those spontaneous encounters that you never plan for but end up remembering for a very long time.

The stars were also clearly visible that night. With the quiet campsite, the cool night air, the warm food, and good conversation, everything felt incredibly peaceful and comfortable.

It was one of those simple camping nights that you wish you could pause for a little longer.

A Relaxing Stop Before Going Home

For our final stop, we visited Hokkaido Fukuro no Yu Onsen somewhere along our way home.

The onsen was surrounded by mountains, and the natural spring water was incredibly relaxing. After spending the weekend traveling, walking around, setting up camp, and exploring different places, soaking in the warm water was the perfect way to end our little adventure.

Sometimes, the best ending to a busy trip is simply sitting quietly in a hot spring and letting yourself relax.

Looking back, this trip wasn’t really about the places we visited, but about the little moments and unexpected encounters along the way. Even though I’ve been to Yoichi many times since 2015, this weekend reminded me that familiar places can still give us new memories. Sometimes, the best adventures are the ones we don’t plan—they simply happen.