Prepare yourself to be caught off guard by the sense of remoteness on the Hokkaido coast. Sapporo is a massive city with a metro area of over two million people, and yet, just over an hour drive west or north your sea kayak can launch you into the “Hokkaido wilds”-–the Shakotan Peninsula is one sweet example.
This is possible because it is the norm in Hokkaido to build homes away from the shore. And, it’s in stark contrast with my U.S. paddling experiences in places like Washington state, Maine, and Florida where houses are strung along the coast and real estate developers are always looking for the next investment opportunity.
Coastal real estate in Hokkaido is rarely prized for its ocean views and recreational water access. As you can imagine, this is quite the blessing for anyone that likes to play on the ocean.
With that said, it’s natural to be drawn to the Shiretoko Peninsula’s distinctiveness and the size of the World Heritage Site when dreaming about a sea kayaking adventure in Hokkaido. Situated far, far east in Hokkaido, it is an absolutely stunning location, as you can see from Rob’s photos from our recent six-day circumnavigation of the peninsula.
But, I would caution against “Shiretoko tunnel vision.” For instance, if you’re flying over to Hokkaido from overseas or elsewhere in Japan with foldable kayaks and there is no weather window for paddling Shiretoko (it’s quite the exposed peninsula in terms of fetch), do not fret! You are going to have an awesome trip somewhere else on the island, even in places you’d not expect. The Muroran Coast in southern Hokkaido is a prime example. There are massive steelworks only two kilometers away, but the coast is a gorgeous oasis.
Specific to Shiretoko, on our six-day circumnavigation, I was surprised by how active the fishery is. Signs of kombu (kelp) harvesting abound (underwater, as well) and there are as many set nets there as anywhere I can remember paddling. In addition, the fishing camps have much more substantial infrastructure than I was expecting (e.g., heavy equipment, outbuildings, retaining walls, boat ramps, multi-story homes that look ready for year-round habitation, etc.). All of it makes the environment feel more lived in than other sections of the Hokkaido coast, even places where we’ve paddled along overgrown, abandoned roads.
However, I shouldn’t be surprised by the active fishery: Japan’s culinary preferences make it safe to assume that you’ll be seeing men and women fishing and harvesting on the water everywhere you go.
What you might not expect is that the Hokkaido coast is largely free of recreational boaters. Hailing from the U.S., it’s my assumption that whenever I’m on a beautiful, populated coast that I’ll be sharing the water with folks in and on a variety of watercraft.
Hokkaido is different.
There are very few recreational boaters here. Sometimes there are other kayakers; sometimes there are people fishing in small zodiacs with smaller outboards; and sometimes there are tour boats. Shiretoko is unique on this front because there is a relatively high concentration of sizeable tour boats cruising along the shore. For perspective, I grew up in eastern Massachusetts and Shiretoko tour boats are comparable in size to our whale-watching and deep-sea fishing boats for tourists. But Shiretoko still has far fewer of them cruising around than my hometown of Gloucester, MA.
In short, I am amazed by how few people are on the water in Hokkaido.
There are plenty of dimensions to Shiretoko that will always make me ready for another trip out there. For instance, one morning we passed two young men taking a week to circumnavigate the peninsula on foot. They had a single 30-meter rope, were swimming around headlands when necessary, and were trying to go up and down as little as possible. These are the type of adventurers I dream about. Another duo that Rob mentioned in the day four write up enjoy snowshoeing and ice climbing on that coast in the winter. These individuals remind me to stay open-minded about all the different forms fun can take.
Moving forward, I want to hold close my memory of hiking up the Shiretoko River on the fourth day. It was my first time taking part in the Japanese activity of sawanobori(creek-walking), and I was pleasantly surprised by the stable and not-so-slippery footing, the multitude of refreshing pools for dipping, the shade of the Japanese knotweed, and the waterfall at the end congratulating us on going for a walk. It’ll be fun to make more time for sawanobori as I continue to explore Hokkaido by kayak.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Timbah Bell is from Aspen, USA, and has lived in Hokkaido for four years. He is currently doing a two-year intensive Japanese language course in Sapporo City. He’s a keen outdoors instructor, with numerous sea kayak, sailing, ski, trekking, and bicycle expeditions under his belt. He has led and instructed expeditionary skills courses for adults, teens, and children for over 10 years. Certifications include US Coast Guard certifications and Wilderness First Responder.
1 thought on “Shiretoko and the Hokkaido Coast”
Amazing!!!
TimBahhhh !
You b D Rok Sta ! AN D Wata Sta ! 2 !!
Vicarious Visualizations of your Vivacious vivacity !