Things to do in Dō Hoku (Northern Hokkaidō)
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Hiking
Most people come here to hike, whether it's the eight-hour version or some of the tamer three-hour counterparts. (Some people may even wish to hire a scooter or motorcycle) Rebun-tō is a naturalist's dream: fields of over 300 species of wildflower explode from May through to August; the terrain is varied and each walking track is unique; and the beaches harbour all sorts of cool finds, from interesting (and edible!) marine animals to semiprecious stones.
When hiking 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 vi…
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Hiking on Rishiri-zan
A near-perfect cinder cone rising like a miniature Mt Fuji from the surrounding sea, Rishiri-zan (1721m) provides numerous hiking opportunities and stunning scenery. If you're feeling energetic and have good footwear you can hike to the summit in a day. The two most reliable hiking tracks to the summit start at Oshidomari and Kutsugata (about 3km from town). A road encircles the island and a limited bus service links the small fishing villages on the way.
This service runs to the start of each track; otherwise walk (about an hour), hitch, take a taxi or ask your lodgings if they can drop you off. Prepare properly for a mountain hike and pay particular attention to the sea…
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Aji-no-Ichiba
Rishiri-tō is a great place for fresh seafood of all kinds, but uni (sea urchin) is mouthwatering. People have been known to travel all the way from Tokyo simply to eat it here. The stall Aji-no-Ichiba serves seafood straight from the local fishing boats to your mouth, sometimes with no cooking in between. Look for a small, nondescript building next to a warehouse with an uni tank and Coca-Cola vending machine; exit to the right from the Oshidomari ferry terminal.
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Minshuku Shiretoko
Has great views of the water and the presiding Rishiri-zan beyond. The owner is a fisherman and prides himself on hand-catching the evening's meal. To get here just get off the bus at the Shiretoko stop.
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Wakkanai Shikai Hyaku-nen Kinen-tō
Atop a grassy hill a few blocks from the train station is the town's centennial memorial tower. On a clear day you can see Russia, just like former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin!
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Tenkin
One of the oldest izakaya in town, Tenkin is a box-shaped hall with wood trim that is marked by large golden characters. The menu is broad, but the recurring themes are winter warmers such as nabe (stew cooked in a cast-iron pot) as well as all manner of seafood – check out the tanks near the entrance to see what's fresh.
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Takechan
This is a famous Wakkanai restaurant where you can sample tako-shabu (¥1575), an octopus variant of traditional shabu-shabu. Steady your chopsticks, and then slowly dip slices of tentacle into steaming broth. For the squeamish, there is safety in sōyakurōshi, a strip steak carved from Japan's northernmost free-range cows. Exit JR Wakkanai Station, walk straight through the first light and then turn right at the next corner. Walk for two more blocks and you'll see a white wooden building with black trim on your left-hand side.
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Takasago Meiji Jyōzō
If you want to turn the afternoon into a sake crawl, Takasago Meiji has a 30-minute free tour of its own. From January to March it also has an aisudōmu, a sake-filled ice dome where you can warm up with a drink. Take bus 1, 3 or 17 from bus stop 17 in front of the station to 1-jō 18-chōme (¥150, 10 minutes). It's a large whitewashed building with a cedar ball hanging outside the door. Even if you don't speak Japanese, English pamphlets and friendly staff help make both tours worthwhile.
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Sōya-misaki
Thirty kilometres from Wakkanai, this cape (宗谷岬) is the real thing: mainland Japan's most northern point. Among the cape's various monuments is one dedicated to the victims of Korean Airlines flight 007, which was 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 JR Wakkanai Station (¥2430, one hour each way).
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Sōunkyō Ropeway
This combination ropeway-chairlift provides fast and easy access to Kuro-dake. One-way/return tickets on the ropeway cost ¥100/1850 and on the chairlift ¥400/600.
Once at the top, you have three options: you can explore Kurodake for a few hours before returning to Sōunkyō Onsen, head to Asahidake on an all-day, no-return excursion, or spend the next three days heading south on the grand traverse.
From July to the end of September, one bus a day goes to Ginsen-dai (銀泉台), where the trailhead Aka-dake (赤岳; 2078m) is located. Set a bit back from the grand traverse, Aka-dake sees far fewer hikers and is a nice escape for anyone seeking near isolation while on the trail…
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Saroma-ko To Barō-mura
Come here for the freshest seafood prepared with care by a chef who's not afraid to close the restaurant if the shellfish doesn't meet his finicky standards. Try the hotate-no-sashimi (scallop sashimi; ¥900) or the kaki-no-sakemushi (oysters steamed in sake; ¥1100). Prices vary depending on the quality and the season. The restaurant is easily found by looking for the string of traditional Japanese lanterns.
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Sarobetsu Genya
While technically part of Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, these marshlands (サロベツ原) are best accessed from Wakkanai. Approximately 35km south of town, Sarobetsu Genya is full of 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).
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Otokoyama Jyōzō
If you want a free tipple, take the 30-minute tour of this legendary brewery, which appears in old ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) and historic literature. Take bus 67, 68, 70, 71, 667 or 669 from bus stop 18 in front of the station, and get off at Nagayama 2-jō 6-chōme (¥200, 20 minutes); from there it's a two-minute walk (look for the large white cube that rests on the roof of the building).
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Noshappu-misaki
This cape (ノシャプ岬), 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.
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Narazushi
One block southwest of Takechan you will find this sushi spot, which is easily identified by the giant shrimp stamped on the exterior curtain. From the picture menu, you can choose between a variety of house specialities, each featuring various combinations of coldwater fish, crustaceans and echinoderms (think: sea urchins) brought from Japan's northern seas.
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Kunen-kōbō Yamadori
Furano is famous for its curries, a potent winter warmer that heats from within. But rather than serving it simply over rice, Yamadori tops off the dish with a fresh omelette and a sliced sausage in a local concoction known as omu-karē (¥1000). You'll find this neat little treat in a cutesy-cool pink farm house with white trim, just around the northwest corner of the Natulux Hotel.
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Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Kinenkan
Kaneto Kawamura, an Ainu chief, became a master surveyor and helped to lay the tracks for several of Hokkaidō's railways. In 1916, after eye problems forced him to retire, he used his accumulated wealth to create the first Ainu museum. Take bus 24 from bus stop 14 in front of the station to the Ainu Kinenkan-mae stop (¥170, 15 minutes).
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Hokkaidō Folk Arts & Crafts
Located 5km southwest of the train station, this collection of three museums provides an overview of the island's traditional folk arts. A free shuttle runs every hour or two between the village and the Kureyon Parking, next to the Asahikawa Washington Hotel.
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Harp Seals
There is some wonderful wildlife-watching in Bakkai, where a few hundred harp seals arrive each year and stay from November to the end of March. A basic viewing hut 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.
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Furano Wine Kojō
If you're not going skiing or getting behind the wheel, the Furano Wine Factory (ふらのワイン工場), about 4km northwest of the station, gives tours explaining the wine-making process, and obliges visitors with a complimentary tipple.
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Furano Skī-Jō
Lying between two Prince hotels, this world-class winter-sports resort has hosted 10 FIS World Ski Cup events and two FIS World Snowboarding Cup events. Yet to the benefit of savvy foreign travellers, Furano remains relatively undiscovered, especially in comparison to its spotlight-hogging rival, Niseko. To make a fair comparison, Furano does not allow for off-piste skiing, but there is plenty here to catch your fancy.
The 23 slopes are predominantly beginner and intermediate. The handful of advanced runs are very steep, a bit short and are typically ungroomed with some seriously deep snow drifts. The more novice-friendly courses, all with perfect powder, can run up to 3km…
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Furano Chīzu Kojō
Foodies should continue on to the cheese factory – try the squid-ink brie.
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Furano Budō-kajū Kojō
If you're going skiing or getting behind the wheel, Furano Budō-kajū Kojō, about 1.5km away, gives tours explaining the grape juice–making process, and obliges visitors with a complimentary non-alcoholic tipple.
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Furano Aisu-miruku
Adjacent is the ice-milk factory, which offers cool treats to beat the summer heat.
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Farm Tomita
You really have to see Farm Tomita to believe it, though try to imagine expansive fields of carefully delineated flowers blooming in succession. Given the French connection, the Japanese tend to go wildest over the lavender, but the seasonal fields are just as visually arresting and olfactorally intoxicating. The lavender theme continues at the cafe and gift shop, where lavender-infused products include soft creams, puddings, jellies, pastries and sodas. From roughly June to September, JR actually opens up a temporary station known as Lavender Batake (ラベンダー畑; Lavender Farm) to accommodate the influx of tourists.
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