Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [495]
If you need to spend the night, there are a few convenient options right near the station. The Ryokan Tanakaya (; 23-3165; r per person incl 2 meals from ¥7350; ) is a very simple but adequate Japanese-style inn, while the Shari Central Hotel (; 23-2355; r per person from ¥5800) offers a more scaled down version of your typical business hotel room.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Bus
There is one direct bus daily linking Abashiri and Shari (¥1120, 1¼ hours). There are between five and nine buses daily between Shari and Utoro (¥1490, 50 minutes), but only three in summer that continue on as far as Iwaobetsu (¥1770, 1¼ hours).
Car
Surprisingly well-maintained Rte 334 runs up the coast from Abashiri to Shari, and continues to the village of Iwaobetsu.
Train
There are just a couple of futsū each day on the JR Senmō main line between Shari and Abashiri (¥810, 50 minutes), and between Shari and Kushiro via Teshikaga (¥2730, 2½ hours).
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SHIRETOKO NATIONAL PARK
Shiretoko-hantō, the peninsula that makes up Shiretoko National Park, was known in Ainu as ‘the end of the world.’ As remote as Japan gets, this magnificent stretch of land has virtually no sealed roads within its boundaries. Hiking tracks are present, though they’re remote, poorly maintained, wind over slippery boulders and disappear at times on cliff sides. If the weather turns frigid or you slip and break an ankle, you’ll need to hope that a passing fishing boat spots you – before the bears do.
Indeed, you need to be properly equipped to tackle one of Japan’s last true wilderness areas, and you shouldn’t underestimate the difficulty of the terrain that awaits you. However, the reward is obvious – Shiretoko boasts some of the best hiking that the country can offer, as evidenced by its recent designation as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Orientation & Information
There are no sealed roads within the park’s boundaries, save for a short northwest–southeast road that connects the town of Utoro (on the northwestern edge) with Rausu (on the southern side); two-thirds of the park has no roads at all.
Hiking must be arranged in advance: there are steep fines for anyone caught hiking off limits or after hours. Be sure to register at the Shiretoko Nature Centre (24-2114; www.shiretoko.or.jp/snc_eng/en_about.htm; slide show ¥500; 8am-5.40pm mid-Apr–mid-Oct, 9am-4pm mid-Oct–mid-Apr), which offers maps, hiking info and a 20-minute slide show about the peninsula.
Danger & Annoyances
So few people come here that humans haven’t ruined it yet: hikers will see pristine forests, remote vistas without a sign of habitation and lots of wildlife, including bears and foxes. The latter can be dangerous too, so don’t take any chances: some have been known to steal food or sleeping bags. In addition, fox faeces have contaminated the water with the parasite echinococcus, which can be deadly. Don’t drink any water that hasn’t been properly purified.
Sights & Activities
The fishing village of Rausu () once grew wealthy on the herring industry, though there’s not much here now, other than a few very beautiful hikes. A challenging but well-marked track to Rausu-dake (; 1661m) starts a few kilometres outside of town towards Shiretoko-Toge, near the (free) camping ground at Kuma-no-yu Onsen () – yes, that’s ‘Bear’s Boiled Water’, you heard right!
From Rausu, to get to Rausu-dake head towards the tip along the marked trail and keep an eye out for a large overhang on the left, marked by a small car park. Peek under the overhang at phosphorescent moss, which humbly glows a bright shade of green and is visible even in daylight.
Note that hiking out to the extreme tip of the peninsula is no longer possible: you will be heavily fined if rangers catch you on the unmaintained track, which is often eroded beyond recognition.
The surrounding Shiretoko-go-ko (; Shiretoko Five Lakes) region offers hiking with beautiful views of the ponds and mountains behind them.
Boat rides (24-2147; trips ¥6000,