Shiretoko Sea Kayak Trail

The Shiretoko Peninsula is a specially protected UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site and is arguably one of Japan’s last remaining quasi-wilderness areas. Primeval forests, diverse wildlife, spectacular waterfalls, and towering peaks. Bears roam the forests and shorelines, competing for seasonal salmon at the numerous river mouths. At the same time as it being a natural wilderness, it’s also the workplace of a hard-working community of locals, eking out a living during the short summer months. Banya fishing huts dot the coast, supporting a vibrant trout and salmon fishing industry on the Utoro (Okhotsk Sea) side, and kelp harvesting on the Rausu (Nemuro Strait) side. It’s an extraordinarily diverse and challenging place, supremely suited to a high-level multi-day sea kayaking expedition for experienced paddlers.

• Naming: The name ‘Shiretoko’ comes from the indigenous Hokkaido Ainu language. Sir means ‘cliffed’, etok means ‘end or protrude’. Shiretoko is commonly translated as ‘the end of the earth’.
• When to go: June till August offer the most settled weather. Mid- to late-May tends to be the earliest, and mid- to late-September the latest that consistently favourable weather windows will be found. From January to March, the peninsula is encased in drift sea ice.
• Direction of paddle: Arguably, the more aesthetic direction to paddle Shiretoko Peninsula is counter-clockwise (Aidomari to Utoro). That is, opposite to the direction on our maps. The scenery builds in drama, culminating with some of the more dramatic cliff scenery on the last day, approaching Utoro. Weather practicalities, however, may dictate a clockwise paddle – seasonal southeasterly winds can cause difficult-to-manage following seas on the Rausu side of the peninsula. Some paddlers may prefer to paddle into these seas in the latter half of the trip rather than be pushed around by them from behind. Likewise, if a southeasterly flow is predicted for the first few days of your planned trip, make the most of the leeward paddling on the Utoro side while you can – unless you revel in dynamic reflective swells, the southern half of the Utoro side of the peninsula is best enjoyed in calm conditions.
• Flora and fauna: Expect wild forests and even more wild animals. Shiretoko Peninsula has the highest concentration of Ussuri brown bears in Hokkaido. Sea eagles are common.
• Communications: There is no mobile reception for the entirety of this circumnavigation. We strongly recommend paddlers carry a satellite messenger (Garmin inReach or SPOT) for emergency SOS and communications, or at the very least a PLB.
• Campsites: There are no established campsites on the Shiretoko Peninsula coast. There are, however, several favourable coves and beaches suitable for camping. They are marked on the map. Campfires are permitted, but leave-no-trace principles apply.
• Off-limits areas: The Rusha Area ルシャ地域 is off-limits for both landing and camping. The Shiretoko Cape area is also in principle off-limits, except for Aburako-wan Cove. In addition, paddlers should avoid landing or camping near banya fishing facilities. Doing so can disrupt fishing operations and cause wildlife headaches for banya personnel.
• Water: Many of the recommended camping zones have streams – surface water should be treated before consumption. The main concern is Echinococcus tapeworm parasites. The only suitable treatment option is filtering or boiling (more details here).
• Toilets: The Shiretoko Rules ask that all paddlers pack out their own poop in WAG bags. WAG bags plus a poop tube is a viable solution (details). If this is not possible for some reason, catholes are also permissible (p. 7), but cathole real estate is scarce (most campsites are rocky). See our deep-dive into pooping on a Shiretoko kayak expedition here.
• Difficulty and sea conditions: The Shiretoko Peninsula coast is extremely exposed to seas with large fetch. It demands a high level of experience and skill – not only paddling, but outdoor, navigation, and wilderness decision-making experience and skills. See the Safety Notes below for more detail.
• Permits and access: No permits are required to paddle around the Shiretoko Peninsula. While not required by law, all paddlers are strongly advised to submit a float plan to the Japan Coastguard (Rausu Office 羅臼海上保安署) ahead of their trip. Float plans can be submitted (in English or Japanese) by email (sasaki-w98wr@mlit.go.jp) or FAX (0153-87-5013). There is no set format for float plans – feel free to download and edit our float plan template (Word / PDF). Hokkaido bylaws prohibit the use of fishing ports by recreational vessels (including sea kayaks) except in emergencies.
• Motorboat shuttles: There are no motorboat shuttles or drop-off services available on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
• Sea kayak rental: Unfortunately, there are no sea kayak rental outfitters in Hokkaido.
• Local community: Historically, there has been somewhat of a lukewarm relationship between recreational users of the Shiretoko coast and locals who use the coast for their livelihoods (fishers, kelp harvesters etc). This is in no small part because it’s locals who inevitably end up responding to recreational and tourism-oriented sea users in distress, at considerable inconvenience, risk, and cost. Sea kayak guiding operations have worked hard to demonstrate that recreationists and fishing/harvesting operations can co-exist. Therefore, we encourage paddlers to adopt a strong sense of humility in their interactions with locals. In short, sea kayaking is well-enshrined in the recreational use of Shiretoko National Park (source), but like anywhere we paddle, be nice and be responsible.