Hokkaido » Wakkanai, Rumoi, Rishiri

Wakkanai, Rumoi, Rishiri Travel Guides

The Wakkanai, Rumoi, and Rishiri areas are located at the northern limit of Japan. Cape Soya, the northernmost point in Japan, and Cape Noshappu, where the sunset is beautiful, are famous. Kelp, a specialty of Rishiri Island and Rebun Island, is a standard souvenir.

Recommended sightseeing information for Wakkanai, Rumoi, and Rishiri area. Wakkanai, Rumoi, and Rishiri area offers tourist attractions such as Rebun Island, Rishiri Island, and Cape Soya, tourist events such as Summer Festival, Edaki Crab Festival, and Masuge Shrimp Sake Festival, and local gourmet foods such as ramen, Genghis Khan, and Jaga Pokkuru.

Wakkanai is the northernmost city in the large island of Hokkaido and is located on the Sea of Japan facing the Soya Straits, with Rishiri and Rebun islands nearby. Rumoi City is located slightly south of Wakkanai. These cities and towns are famous as tourist destinations in the northern part of Hokkaido, the Dohoku region, and many tourists visit this area throughout the four seasons.

The most essential sightseeing spot in Wakkanai is Cape Soya, the northernmost point in Japan, which attracts visitors with its magnificent view of the Sea of Japan seen through a white triangular object. Cape Noshappu, located to the lower left, offers a different view of the Hokkaido sea than Cape Soya, and the sunset over the magnificent Sea of Japan is truly spectacular. Another must-see in Wakkanai is the Wakkanai Port North Breakwater Dome, a 427-meter-long breakwater reminiscent of ancient Roman architecture, which was built to mitigate damage from strong winds and high waves and is designated as a Hokkaido Heritage Site.

Along with Wakkanai, Rumoi is also known as a tourist town in northern Hokkaido, facing the Sea of Japan, and is home to Cape Koganezaki Seaside Park, a famous tourist attraction. The view of the sunset over the Sea of Japan from this park is as spectacular as the view from Wakkanai's Cape Noshappu, and has been selected as one of the top 100 sunsets in Japan. Also not to be missed in Rumoi is the Reiji Pasture (Reiji Pasture Trim) with its forest of large windmills. From the Senmodai, a hilly area 180 meters above sea level, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the spacious city of Rumoi.

The island in the Sea of Japan to the left of Wakkanai is Rishiri Island. Rishiri Island, also called the floating island of dreams, is a sightseeing spot in its entirety. Just to the upper left of Rishiri is another island, Rebun Island. Rebun Island, together with Rishiri Island, is home to the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, where in summer, some 300 species of alpine plants are in full bloom, providing a relaxing experience for visitors. Both Rishiri and Rebun islands are rich in seafood, making them attractive for gourmet tourists.

Wakkanai, Rumoi, Rishiri, and Rebun, located in the northern part of Hokkaido, are the representative tourist destinations of the northern part of Hokkaido, and at the same time, visitors can fully enjoy the rich seafood from the Sea of Japan. These are the places you should definitely visit on a sightseeing and gourmet tour.

Recommended spots for Wakkanai, Rumoi, Rishiri

Pick up sightseeing spots and specialties!

Rebunto (Rebun Island)

Located approximately 60 km west of Wakkanai City in the Sea of Japan, Rebun Island is also called the "floating island of flowers" because of the more than 300 varieties of alpine plants that bloom, many of which can only be seen here. The small island, measuring 29 km from north to south and 8 km...»

Hasami Zuke (pickled radish and salted salmon sandwiched)

Vinegar-pickled daikon radish and salted salmon - a traditional taste of fishing communities

Hasami Zuke, which literally translates as ‘sandwiched pickles’, is pickled vegetables and seafood that have traditionally been made in fishing communities in Hokkaido. The recipe is simple, and it can be made with a variety of seafood, such as salmon, crabs, herring roe, and scallops. With the rich...»

Scallop Ramen

Pickled Herring

Sarufutsu Scallops

Hokkaido