Cheese shops · Shintoku, Hokkaido
Kyodogakusha Shintoku Farm
Kyodogakusha Shintoku Farm (共働学舎新得農場) makes about ten natural cheeses, sold at its Mintal shop, open 10:00 to 17:00 (16:00 from December to March). The café, open Friday to Monday from 11:00 to 16:00, closes from December to mid-April.
- Shop
- 10:00 to 17:00
- Café
- Fri to Mon, 11:00 to 16:00
- Winter
- Shop closed Sundays, café closed
The Farm
Nozomu Miyajima came to Shintoku in 1978 to build Kyodogakusha, a farm community where people who find life hard elsewhere live and work together. It makes about ten natural cheeses from its own milk. Its Sakura, a soft cheese scented with cherry blossom, won the grand prix at the Japan Cheese Awards 2026, chosen from about 400 entries.
Shop and Café
The Mintal shop sells the farm's cheeses, soft-serve with whey jam, bread and pudding. It opens 10:00 to 17:00 from April to November, every day, and 10:00 to 16:00 from December to March, when it closes on Sundays. The café opens Friday to Monday from 11:00 to 16:00 and closes for the winter from December to mid-April.
The farm is at 9-1 Aza Shintoku, Shintoku. Phone 0156-69-5600.
Nearby
Hirouchi Ezorisu no Tani Cheese, founded in 2020 by Kyodogakusha's former head cheesemaker, is also in Shintoku. The farm is the western end of the Tokachi cheese route, which also takes in the Meiji factory tour in Memuro.
Where to Stay near Shintoku
We may earn a commission when you book through this map, at no extra cost to you.
More in Japan
All of Japan
Furano Cheese Factory
Furano, Hokkaido, Japan
Free factory with windows onto the cheesemaking and short hands-on workshops.
Tokachi Cheese Route
Tokachi, Hokkaido, Japan
A loop of farm cheese shops and a factory tour around Obihiro.
Meiji Naruhodo Factory Tokachi
Memuro, Hokkaido, Japan
Free 70-minute tour of Meiji's natural cheese plant, by reservation.
Cheese in Nasu
Nasu, Tochigi, Japan
Farm cheese shops in Honshu's biggest dairy area, plus a May festival.
Rokko Mountain Pasture Cheese Factory
Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
Watch Kobe Cheese being made, eat fondue and make string cheese.
Tokyo Cheese Shops
Tokyo, Japan
Fermier, Cheese Stand and Milk Land Hokkaido, with hours.
Questions People Ask
Is the Kyodogakusha café open in winter?
No, the café closes from December to mid-April. The shop stays open, except on Sundays from December to March.
Which Kyodogakusha cheese won the Japan Cheese Awards?
Sakura, a soft cheese with a cherry blossom aroma, won the grand prix at the Japan Cheese Awards 2026.
Official site: kyodogakusha.org/. Dates, hours and prices checked 22 October 2026; confirm on the official site before you travel.