Wakkanai

Japan's northernmost city, known for the Cape Soya monument, the North Breakwater Dome and the white road of the Soya Hills; on clear days you can see Sakhalin, and it is the ferry port for Rishiri and Rebun.

Wakkanai is Japan's northernmost city, in the Soya region of northern Hokkaido, with the Sea of Okhotsk to the east, the Sea of Japan to the west and Sakhalin Island across the Soya Strait to the north; on clear days Sakhalin is visible 43 km away. It is also the ferry port for the outlying islands of Rishiri and Rebun (listed as a separate destination; an overnight stay on the islands is usual).

Main areas: ① Downtown – the North Breakwater Dome, Wakkanai Station, Fukko Market and Wakkanai Park are all near the port and can be explored on foot plus short taxi rides; ② Cape Noshappu – about 5 km northwest of downtown, with a lighthouse and an aquarium, a great spot for views of Rishiri Fuji and the sunset; ③ Cape Soya – about 30 km east of downtown, home to the monument marking Japan's northernmost point, easily combined with the white road and wind-turbine grasslands of the nearby Soya Hills; ④ Toyotomi to the south – the wetland wildflowers of the Sarobetsu Plain and the oily waters of Toyotomi Onsen, with views of Rishiri Fuji all along coastal Route 106 by car.

Getting there: about 5 hr 10 min by JR limited express from Sapporo, or fly to Wakkanai Airport from Tokyo Haneda or New Chitose. Buses run from town to Cape Soya, but outlying sights are best reached by rental car or bicycle. Seasons: Jun–Aug is cool, with the wetland flowers at their best; in Sep–Oct the hill grasslands turn golden; winters are bitterly cold with frequent snowstorms, and drift ice is occasionally seen in February. Allow 1–2 days, or 3–4 days including Rishiri and Rebun. Tips: even in summer the capes are very windy, so bring a windproof jacket; the white road closes in winter, and petrol stations and convenience stores are scarce outside town.

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