Distance: 3km | Ascent: 100m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
We live in Sapporo City, so the first step in exploring Hokkaido’s northern reaches was to get ourselves there. By train. It is a 5-hour direct trip from Sapporo City, so we packed the bikes up and bustled with the holiday crowds. Once in Wakkanai we headed straight for the Wakkanai campground to settle in – a paltry 3km from the station (but up a big hill).
Accommodation: Wakkanai Forest Park Camping Ground (稚内森林公園キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Wakkanai Minato-no-Yu (港のゆ) | 750yen | 2.6km from accommodation
Distance: 0km | ↓ GPX file
We set this day aside for some Wakkanai sightseeing (and for Haidee to work on some distance learning she was doing at the time). In reality there’s not a whole lot to see in Wakkanai, but there’s:
- A sobering memorial (here) to the nine female Japanese telephone operators in Maoka town (Sakhalin Island) who committed suicide to avoid capture by invading Russian forces.
- A piece of modern 1936 civil architecture – the Wakkanai North Breakwater Dome (here).
- Cape Noshappu (here) is apparently quite nice, although we didn’t get the chance to cycle out there.
- The whole waterfront at the port is quite nice to wander around too (around here).
To mix things up, you might consider heading to Japan’s northern-most sento (public bath), Midori-no-Yu (みどりの湯, here), which has a Riders’ House attached (1,000yen a night).
Blog post: Japan Far North: Day 2 (In Wakkanai)
Accommodation: Wakkanai Forest Park Camping Ground (稚内森林公園キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Midori-no-yu (みどりの湯) | 440yen | 4.5km from accommodation
Distance: 30km | Ascent: 270m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
Highlights of day three included the ferry from Wakkanai to Rishiri, and stepping off onto what felt like another universe. Instantly the pace of life is slower on Rishiri. We’d not get any glimpse of Mt. Rishiri until later in the day, but we enjoyed the separated cycle path for the first 10km or so of today.
The campsite for tonight is not an official campground, but there are tables and chairs and a toilet block (and, curiously, seals in a concrete enclosure), which make it perfect for a quick overnight wildcamp.
Accommodation: Cape Senhoshi Park (仙法志御崎公園)
Onsen: None
Distance: 15km | Ascent: 100m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
Taking it as easily as is humanly possible, we only cycled 14km today, up the road to the nearest onsen, at Cape Kutsugata. We set up camp early, and spent the day relaxing.
Accommodation: Kutsugata Misaki Park Campground (沓形岬公園キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Rishiri Fureai Onsen (利尻ふれあい温泉) | 550yen | 0.35km from accommodation
Distance: 35km | Ascent: 150m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
Day five saw us catch a ferry from Rishiri Island to Rebun Island. Once on Rebun Island, we headed straight for the northern cape. We first set up out tent at the Lake Kushu campground, before having a soak in the only sentou (public baths) at this end of the island. UPDATE: The sento at Funadomari at the northern end of Rebun has now been demolished 🙁 If you are in need of a wash, the campground has coin showers (150yen for 10 minutes).
Accommodation: Kushukohan Campground (久種湖畔キャンプ場) | 600 yen per person
Onsen: None
Distance: 35km | Ascent: 150m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
We took a quick bike ride to the northernmost tip of Rebun today. Then it was back to the port for the ferry back to Wakkanai.
Blog post: Japan Far North: Day 6 (Rebun Island)
Accommodation: Wakkanai Fores Park Campground (稚内森林公園キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Wakkanai Minato-no-Yu (稚内港のゆ) | 700yen | 2.6km from accommodation
Distance: 65km | Ascent: 440m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
I’m not sure I’ve heard of many people who’ve experienced blazing sunshine on the northern east coast of Hokkaido. It is a wild place. Windswept and gloriously desolate. The highlight of today ought to have been seeing Hokkaido’s northern most point, Cape Soya. But as nice as that was, it wasn’t quite as nice as sinking into a nice hot bath at the Safutsu Sento Public Baths (here) at the end of the a wet and cold day.
Accommodation: Sarufutsu Park Campground (さるふつ公園キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Sarufutsu Ikoi-no-Yu (さるふつ憩いのゆ) | 300yen | 0.2km from accommodation
Distance: 65km | Ascent: 440m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
If you want to experience off-the-beaten-track cycle touring in Japan, this area of northern Hokkaido is the place to be. Horonobe Town is perhaps the most curious town I’ve ever experienced. An air of wealth. No, of heavy interest by industry…an unusual number of high-tech technicians around…but at the same time, very rural.
It wouldn’t be until we returned home that the riddle was solved. Horonobe Town is the unlikely location for the Japan Atomic Energy Agency’s Underground Research Center (https://www.jaea.go.jp/english/04/horonobe/index.html). Essentially, a research center to investigate the underground storage of radioactive waste.
And just to make things even more curious, the Research Center is right next to a reindeer farm (here).
Accommodation: Furusato-no-Mori Forest Park Campground (ふるさとの森森林公園キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Senior Citizen Center Ikoi-no-Yu (幌延町 老人福祉センター憩の湯) | 400yen | 0.5km from accommodation
Distance: 60km | Ascent: 270m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
Day 9 finally found us back with the rest of civilization. We were now on the main road, Route 232, from Wakkanai to Sapporo City. So we wasted no time in getting off onto one of the parallel wide roads, which was much more pleasant. The highlight of the day was the planetarium right next to the Shosanbetsu Campground. We happened to be there on an open night, so we were treated to some star-gazing at great magnification.
Accommodation: Misakidai Park Campground (みさき台公園キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Shosanbetsu Misaki-no-Yu (しょさんべつ温泉 岬の湯) | 500yen | 0.5km from accommodation
Distance: 35km | Ascent: 250m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
A short day of 40km along the coast today.
Accommodation: Yuhigaoka Auto Campground (とままえ夕陽ヶ丘オートキャンプ場)
Onsen: Tomamae Onsen Fuwatto (とままえ温泉ふわっと) | 500yen | 0.5km from accommodation
Distance: 60km | Ascent: 350m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
Rumoi as a city has never held my attention for very long. Beyond the free (excellent and quirky) Riders’ House (みつばちハウス, here), there’s few redeeming features as far as a cycling tourist is concerned. Beyond Rumoi, however, is the quaint town of Mashike. This town on the coast is home to Japan’s northernmost sake brewery, and has some rich history.
We stayed in the Mashike Riverside Auto Campground, but while they did have showers, for the 2000yen we paid for the site we’re not sure it was worth it. It would be much better to stay at the free (and reasonably well-appointed, as far as free campgrounds go) Shokan Seaside Camping Ground here.
Blog post: Japan Far North: Day 11 (Tomamae to Mashike)
Accommodation: Shokan Seaside Camping Ground (暑寒海浜キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Auberge Mashike (オーベルジュましけ) | 550yen | 0.55km from accommodation
Distance: 43km | Ascent: 1150m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
Accommodation: Kawashimo Seaside Camping Ground (川下海浜キャンプ場) | Free
Onsen: Hamamasu Hoyou Center (浜益保養センター) | 500yen | 3.5km from accommodation
Distance: 77km | Ascent: 1100m | Paved: 100% | ↓ GPX file
Use the Ishikari River and Toyohira River stop-bank cycle paths for a completely stress-free entry right into the center of Sapporo. When getting in and out of Sapporo City towards the Rumoi coast, we never take any other route. It’s about 25km of 100% separated traffic-free riding. It’s the route marked in today’s route, here.
Onsen: Naebo Station Onsen Kura no Yu (苗穂駅前温泉 蔵ノ湯) | 440yen
23 thoughts on “Japan Far North plus Rishiri and Rebun Islands”
Hi Rob, thank you for putting together this route. I started northbound from Sapporo and the tunnels were not for me and I headed inland from Hamamasu (which has good free public camping just behind the beach). I will probably continue on this inland route to Wakkanai and then rejoin the route for Rebun and Rishiri, best wishes
Good idea Simon! The inland route is also very nice.
Hey Rob, just a quick question, how did you find the tunnels on the west coast section of this route? After a quick google maps search seems like there are some pretty long ones with little to no sidewalk. After doing some cycling around the Shakotan coastline and south of Iwanai I have grown deathly scared of the tunnels, as I have learned that once a biker enters the tunnel, all heavy vehicles in the area receive some kind of signal and come driving past you. It’s a shame because most of these long tunnels have a section of older beautiful coastal road alongside them that is closed off and have fallen into disrepair. Those would make amazing cycle paths but I suppose the cost of upkeep is just too high.
Hi Rob, thank you for putting together this route. I started northbound from Sapporo and the tunnels were not for me and I headed inland from Hamamasu (which has good free public camping just behind the beach). I will probably continue on this inland route to Wakkanai and then rejoin the route for Rebun and Rishiri, best wishes
Hi Rob, I am planning to try this route or far east trans hokkaido for 12 days from 13-24 June, it would be better to cycle from Sapporo to Wakkanai or Wakanai to Sapporo,concerning the wind in June ? It’s my first time cycling in Hokkaido.
Thank you for your help in advance.
Viraporn
Hi there, great to hear you’re planning to cycle this route! The wind in June can be all rather unpredictable, but from the Japan Meteorological Agency data, it seems that the most common wind direction along the Japan sea coast from Sapporo to Wakkanai is from the southeast (data here). Therefore, I’d recommend going from south to north (Sapporo to Wakkanai)!
Hey, I’m planning on doing either this or the Shiretoko Loop late September/early October after staying at Daisetsuzan for a couple days to view peak autumn colors. Considering climate and views do you have any recommendations on where I should go? Both Rishiri/Rebun and Shiretoko look amazing to me and I can’t decide which.
Hey Matthew! I feel for you – that’s a very difficult decision! It’s possible you’d get the more scenic views in October on the Shiretoko Loop – more wildlife on the Shiretoko Loop also.
Thanks for the input! What do you think about doing the far east route backwards from Sapporo to Nemuro, and then doing the Shiretoko Loop from Nemuro? Alternatively I was thinking doing the far north route (Rishiri/Rebun) into Shakotan and Niseko hills and then ending my whole trip in Jozankei before flying home in CTS.
For sure, the routes are just as good in either direction, and linking them up is a great idea. As for which to do…you’ll have a great time with any of them!
Thanks for the input! I’ll probably end up doing the Shiretoko Loop
Hey guys, first of all kiaora and thank you. This is an excellent resource. I need some advice. My friend and I are cycling in July. We won’t be doing big miles (injury but ok to bike) and are camping. We love the wilds but not the traffic. Can’t decide whether to cycle from Eniwa to Wakkanai and investigate the islands. Or do the whole of the Southern Peninsula – Lake Toya, Oshamambe, Hokodate then following the coast. We have two weeks.
Hi Maree, thanks for the query! Sounds like a luxurious quandary – both options would be great. That said, if you have the time and inclination to visit Rishiri and Rebun, I’d thoroughly recommend it. They have a very distinctive and unique atmosphere. They’re otherwise very difficult to visit unless you have plenty of time up your sleeve, so committing to seeing them while you have the time would be my pick!
That’s us sold. Thanks for the nudge. I’ve got an app called bikemap. A route to Mashike has us going up towards Uryu before turning left onto the hilly roads. Do you think this is a good option or should we stick to the coast road?
100% take the road through to Uryu, I say. The coastal road is OK-ish, but has quite a few tunnels. The inland route is a bit more varied and pretty (and avoids tunnels).
Hi Rob
Awesome site, been living on/off the last year in Hokkaido and I had follow a lot of the routes you guys posted.
This time I am planning to this trial and I have a few questions
1. Is there any pros/cons to doing Rumoi -> Wakkanai or is better the way around?
2. I saw that coming up to Wakkanai around Teshio you decided to cross over and go towards safurutsu. Just wondering why ? better route than go from Teshio along the coast until Wakkanai?
Thanks a lot for your contribution
Albert
Hi Albert, cheers for the query. If anything, considering the summer prevailing wind (southeast), it would be better to cycle from Rumoi to Wakkanai, cycling north. As for going towards Sarufutsu, the only reason was that we wanted to cycle via Cape Soya, the northernmost point 🙂 Hope this helps!
Hello,
I am planning to try this route and your information is more than helpful.
One question that I have is how to return from Wakkanai to Sapporo and fly back home.
I am hoping that there is a train, bus or ferri that runs between Wakkanai and Sapporo.
Thank you for your help in advance.
Hi Hwal, there is indeed a train from Wakkanai to Sapporo. You can take the express train direct. You will need to put your bike in a bag though, or wrap it in some way. Something like this: https://en.montbell.jp/products/goods/disp.php?product_id=1130426. I hope this helps!
Is it possible and recommended doing this route in September?
Hi Linard yes, this route is certainly possible in September. In fact, the temperatures in September may be preferable to the heat of summer! I hope this helps.
Thank you for this excellent and clear bikepacking route. I am planning this for late July.
I will most likely fly from Osaka to start so my one concern is buying fuel for my MSR stove upon arrival for the length of the trip. I am guessing it should be easy enough to find some in Sapporo at a sporting goods shop. Did you have any experience with buying fuel after leaving Sapporo.
Hey Kelly, if it’s a standard canister stove, I’d recommend buying some fuel before leaving Sapporo. Once on the road, you’ll be able to find gas canisters in larger towns and cities at ‘Home Centers’. See the notes here: https://hokkaidowilds.org/outdoor-stores-for-cycle-touring-and-gear