Ostrich looking sassy (Photo: Justin Velgus)

Ostriches of Asahi Town, Yamagata

Meet, greet, and eat the world's largest bird

Justin Velgus   - 1 min read

Coming to Japan, most travelers look for something "Japanese" to experience. While, something like a tea ceremony or more modern pop culture tour may be on the top of your to-do list, how about something different? Asahi Town, Yamagata Prefecture is about a thirty minute drive from Yamagata Station. While the town is most famous for apples, it is fifty or so resident ostriches which really delight guests of all ages since being introduced around the new millennium. 

Viewing the ostriches is free, and encouraged. The ostriches stay in large, outdoor pens. They seem to be just as curious of you as you are of them. Anyone in town can give directions, but your first stop should perhaps be Rauchern (ロイフェィン). This butcher shop sells prefectural ham, your usual meat fare, and you guessed it, ostrich meat. See the related picture for a map and contact info. The ostrich pens are just a five minute drive away.  

Justin Velgus

Justin Velgus @justin.velgus

Justin Velgus (ジャスティン ベルガス) is the Miyagi Prefecture expert for Japan Travel and a long-term contributor since 2012 with a focus on the Tohoku region.  Justin has written extensively for JT, and other publications such as VisitMiyagi and Sake Today, amassing over 350 published articles...