Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [475]
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Sights & Activities
Atop a grassy hill a few blocks from the train station, Wakkanai-kōen (; dawn-dusk) is a grassy park centred on the Centennial Memorial Tower (; 24-4019; admission ¥400; closed Nov-Apr). At the top of the tower on a clear day you can see Russia, just like Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin! The park is also home to a small monument dedicated to the 22 dogs that accompanied Japan’s first South Pole expedition.
Noshappu-misaki (Map), the second most northern point in mainland Japan, is a nice place for a picture or a picnic, or just to watch the water for a while. If it’s a clear day, look for the green flash as the sun slips below the horizon. The cape is a pleasant walk (35 minutes) or bike ride (15 minutes) away from town – along the way, look out for the kelp drying yards (they look like gravel-covered car parks if they’re not covered with kelp) along the shoreline.
Sōya-misaki (Map), 30km from Wakkanai, is the real thing: mainland Japan’s most northern point. Among Cape Sōya’s various monuments is one dedicated to the victims of Korean Airlines flight 007, shot down in 1983 by a Soviet fighter jet. Birdwatchers will love seeing hawks sitting side by side with seagulls and terns on the wave-washed black sand. There are four return buses each day, departing from the JR Wakkanai station (¥2430, one hour each way).
Harp seal viewing (Map) is possible in Bakkai, where a few hundred harp seals arrive each year and stay from November to the end of March. A basic viewing hut (free) provides shelter, a toilet and some information about the seals. Frequent futsū run on the JR Sōya line between Wakkanai and Bakkai (¥260, 15 minutes). Dress warmly as the hut is a 30-minute walk from JR Bakkai station, and temperatures can be well below freezing.
While technically part of Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, the Sarobetsu Genya (; Map) is best accessed from Wakkanai. These marshlands, approximately 35km south of town, erupt in colour every spring, with dramatic blooms of rhododendrons, irises, lilies and many other types of flowers. Frequent futsū on the JR Sōya line run between Wakkanai and Toyotomi (¥900, 45 minutes). Toyotomi is connected to the park entrance by regular local buses (¥430, 15 minutes).
Festivals & Events
In late February, Wakkanai hosts the Japan Cup National Dogsled Race (), the biggest event of this kind in Japan. The race winds through some truly inhospitable frozen terrain, though everyone warms up back in the city where festivities carry well into the night.
Sleeping & Eating
The youth hostels are occasionally closed in the winter, so best to phone ahead.
Wakkanai Youth Hostel (Map; 23-7162; www7.plala.or.jp/komadori-house; 3-9-1 Komadori; dm from ¥3360). The best accommodation in town, the Wakkanai Youth Hostel is perched on top of a hill, and has a beautiful, commanding view of the surrounding town and ocean. While still a youth hostel, it feels more homey, almost like a minshuku rather than an institution. Breakfast/dinner costs ¥630/1050. It’s a 15-minute walk from Minami-Wakkanai station – follow the signs.
Wakkanai Moshiripa Youth Hostel (Map; 24-0180; www.moshiripa.net in Japanese; 2-9-5 Chūō; dm/r from ¥3360/4200, breakfast/dinner ¥630/1000) Located between the Wakkanai station and the ferry port (look for the dark-blue, three-storey building), dormitories and private rooms are very basic. But the management is warm and friendly, even if the temperatures outside are cold and unforgiving.
Saihate Ryokan (Map; 23-3556; 2-11-16 Chūō; per person incl/excl 2 meals from ¥6500/3700) Right next to the bus and ferry terminals, this is a very convenient place to bed down for the night before hopping on a ship out to Rishiri-Reburn-Sarobetsu. Although it can get a bit noisy, simple Japanese- and Western-style rooms are well-maintained, and meals usually feature the area’s famous sea urchin and salmon roe.
ANA Hotel Wakkanai (Map; 23-8111; www.ana-hotel-wakkanai.co.jp, in Japanese; r per person from ¥7000; ) Tall, sleek