Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [478]
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Air
From Rishiri-tō airport, just a few kilometres west of Oshidomari, there are a couple of flights a day to Wakkanai, more in the summer tourist season. Local buses run infrequently by the airport, which means you’re better off taking a cab into town for around ¥1200.
Boat
From Wakkanai-kō, Heartland Ferry (; 011-233-8010) operates two to four daily ferries (year-round) between Wakkanai and Oshidomari (from ¥1980, 1¾ hours). Slightly less frequent ferries run in both direction from Oshidomari-kō and Kutsugata-kō to Kafuka (¥780, 45 minutes) on Rebun-tō. All ferry tickets are available for purchase at the various ports.
Bus
Regular local buses run in both directions around the island’s perimeter, completing a circuit in about two hours (¥2200). The trip from Oshidomari to Kutsugata (¥730) takes 30 to 50 minutes, depending on whether the bus stops at the airport and/or the onsen.
Rebun-tō
0163 / pop 3300
Shaped like an arrowhead (or a dock-dried squid), Rebun island is a naturalist’s dream. From May through August, fields of over 300 species of wildflower explode in an eruption of colour. The terrain is also varied, and each walking track is unique in its own right. The beaches also harbour all sorts of cool finds, from interesting (and edible!) marine animals to semiprecious stones.
INFORMATION
The only main town is the small port of Kafuka, where the ferry arrives several times a day. From there, several of the hiking tracks are within walking distance, and someone at the tourist information counter (86-2655; 8am-5pm mid-Apr–Oct) in the ferry terminal will point out the best routes or discuss your options in detail, as well as give you maps and schedules in English.
ACTIVITIES
Most people come to Rebun-tō to hike, whether it is the eight-hour version or some of the tamer three-hour counterparts. It’s a good idea to take a bus to the northern tip of the island, Cape Sukoton, and hike your way back past breathtaking cliffside vistas, fields of flowers and dwarf bamboo, thick forests and tiny fishing villages tucked tightly into the island’s many coves. Anyone injured has to be rescued by boat, so group hiking is encouraged.
A four-hour hike runs from Cape Sukoton to Nishi-uedomari, then northeast to the bus stop at Hamanaka. The common route is from north to south. Momoiwa-sō Youth Hostel and other lodgings have info about the nearby hiking options and how to get to trailheads.
Another popular hike is from Nairo, halfway down the east coast, to the top of Rebun-dake (490m). The peak is modest by any standards, but the hike is a pleasant 3½ hours return. Near the port in Kafuka there is a wildflower loop leading across a backbone of spectacular highlands to Momoiwa (enigmatically named Peach Rock, as it bears far more resemblance to a breast than to its namesake fruit) and then down through flower fields and dwarf bamboo to the lighthouse at Cape Shiretoko. It’s a great two-hour taste of the island’s beauty for those without a lot of time.
Watch the weather carefully and plan ahead. Warm layers and rain gear are recommended. Do not, under any circumstances, drink unpurified water, as fox faeces now contaminate the streams (foxes were introduced from Russia in the 1930s).
SLEEPING & EATING
It’s best to phone ahead in the winter months as the places listed here are closed irregularly. Note that eating is best done at the various hotels as restaurants are limited on the island. Also, you can usually arrange to be collected from the port or the airport if you call ahead to any of these accommodation listings.
There are less options on Rebun-tō for camping, though the Kushukohan camping ground (87-3110; admission per person ¥600, tent ¥500, 4-person cabins ¥2000; May-Oct) offers attractive lakeside camping and woodsy cabins.
Momoiwa-sō Youth Hostel (86-1421; dm ¥3045, breakfast/dinner 630/1050; Jun-Sep) Famous for hard hikes by day and camp songs and craziness until lights out at 10pm, this eclectic youth hostel (located in an old herring house) has quite a devoted following.