Cape Soya
宗谷岬
The northernmost point in Japan accessible to the public. The triangular monument is a must-see, and on clear days you can look across the Soya Strait to Sakhalin, 43 kilometers away.
Cape Soya sits at 45 degrees 31 minutes north latitude and is the northernmost point in Japan that the public can reach. The triangular 'Northernmost Point of Japan' monument by the sea is shaped like the North Star. Nearby is a statue of Mamiya Rinzō, the first explorer to survey Sakhalin. On clear days you can see Sakhalin 43 kilometers away across the strait. Behind the cape, on the hill of Cape Soya Park, stand the Tower of Prayer, a memorial to the victims of the Korean Air flight, and an old naval lookout tower. The hill is also the starting point of the White Road. Shops nearby sell certificates confirming you've reached the northernmost point. From Wakkanai Station, the Soya bus takes about 50 minutes, and driving takes about 40 minutes.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Soya Hills White Road
- Wakkanai North Breakwater Dome
- Wakkanai Station
- Wakkanai Fukuko Market
- Wakkanai Park & Gate of Ice and Snow
- Cape Noshappu & Wakkanai Lighthouse
- Noshappu Kanryu Aquarium
- Toyotomi Onsen