Yaotsu

Yaotsu (八百津町) is a town in south-central Gifu. Most of Yaotsu's attractions are related to Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust by letting them flee to Japan. Despite this, Sugihara's birthplace was in nearby Mino although he claimed Yaotsu was his birthplace during his lifetime.

Understand
Traditionally a part of Mino province, Yaotsu once flourished as a port town on the Kiso river under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Although off most tourist's radar, Yaotsu has been in the spotlight since the opening of the Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall in 2000. It is a museum that tells the story of how Chiune Sugihara, as Japan's ambassador to Lithuania, saved thousands of Jews during World War II. Many of Yaotsu's tourists come from Israel, and most signs around the memorial hall are trilingual in Japanese, Hebrew and English.

Tourist information sites

 * The town government's Japanese website has a modest section on sightseeing which contains an English pamphlet in PDF.


 * Yaotsu Town Tourist Association has a more extensive Japanese website.

By public transport
Yao Bus is the only way to access the city by public transport, it connects Akeshi Station in neighbouring Kani to, the journey takes 20 minutes and costs ¥300. To get to Akeshi from Nagoya one must take Meitetsu Railways and transfer in Inuyama and Shin-Kani, takes 60 minutes. If coming from Takayama one can ride the Mainline to Mino-Ōta station before transferring onto a Meitetsu route to Shin-Kani. If you are coming from Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka you will first head to Nagoya and then take the route from there.

By car
Due to limited public transportation options, a rental car may be a good option. The nearest rental cars can be found in Nakatsugawa, which is a 60-minute drive from Yaotsu. Nagoya also has rental car options, and is a 90-minute drive.

By bus
Yao Bus is the only public transportation in the city, it does not serve the cities eastern or northern sides but connects the city centre, one needs a car to access the Chiune Sugihara memorial.

By car
All the attractions in the northern rural areas and around the Chiune Sugihara Memorial require a rental and is highly recommended for travelling around Yaotsu.

See

 * The Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall 20210723 02.jpg

Do

 * Yaotsu danjiri 1972.pngYaotsu Festival (八百津まつり), held at the this festival has floats glide through the streets of Yaotsu. The floats represent boats alluding to Yaotsu's past as a port on the Kiso River. Held on the second weekend of April, the festivals highlights fall on the Sunday.
 * Kutami Festival (クタミまつり), held at the in Yaotsu's northern Kutami district. 6 floats are carried through town as Kutami's 6 villages each owned a float. The most notable event of the festival is when Karakuri  puppetry is performed on top of the float. Held on the third Sunday of April, a week after the Yaotsu Festival.

Sleep
Due to limited accommodation and the fact that all major sites can be visited in a day, many tourists will visit Yaotsu on a day trip from Nagoya, Takayama or the Kiso Valley.



Connect
Pocket Wifi works in the city and can be rented in Nagoya. Most accommodation options have free Wifi.

Go next

 * Nagoya, Chubu's largest town, 1-hour drive.
 * Tsumago and Magome, Former post towns in the Kiso Valley, 80-minute drive.
 * Takayama, city with preserved old town in the Japan Alps, 2-hour drive.