Hiking Wakkanai, Japan

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

My “plan” was to travel to northernmost Japan and catch the ferry from Wakkanai to the remote island Rishiri-Zan.

In my dreams, I’d camp one night. Then do the 8hr, 18km coast-to-coast over this volcano (1712m). (Oshidomari track up, Kutsugata track down)

more photos by le.sdf.free.fr

Certainly this is one of the best hikes in Japan. And that photo is a postcard, not reality.

… Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to pull off this hike later than September due to: unstable weather, hostels & campgrounds being closed and/or trails being impassable due to snow or washout.

I only conceived the faint hope of trying for it late October because I saw a fleeting TV weather report showing a smiling sun over the north tip of the island. …

Waking early the morning of my intended day hike, the weather was normal — grey and drizzling. I went back to sleep.

Depressed at having yet another of my hiking plans dashed, I defaulted to a lazy day wandering the town. Then catching the train and abandoning northern Japan altogether.

Unexpectedly, the weather cleared up. And I had an excellent day hike walking directly from the train station after locking up my pack.

First stop a tranquil Temple much adorned with gardens and statuary.

Fall colours were a highlight of the day.

I climbed up above town to Wakkanai Kōen (稚内公園) park. That’s the “Russian” island of Sakhalin, in the distance.

How about this?

I began to wonder whether I should have jumped on the ferry. Nope. Here’s the micro-climate cloaking the volcano:

Instead I decided to walk the bluff, then descend down to the coast via animal trails.

Here are the animals.

This region is famed for kelp though there wasn’t much drying end of October.

In peak times these racks might be covered with kelp.

Like other parts of the world cold and inhospitable, locals like bright colours, making long winter nights less depressing.

This turned out to be one of my best hiking days in Japan :). … But I still caught the train south when it got dark.

Rishiri-Zan volcano must wait.

See more photos from my day hike of Wakkanai.

related – Climbing Rishiri-Zan trip report (2004) by Cameron L. Martindell