Rishiri and Rebun
Rishiri and Rebun are two islands in the Sea of Japan off the northern tip of Hokkaido, part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, reached by ferry from Wakkanai or by air from Sapporo.
Rishiri-Fuji in Himenuma, Rishiri Island
- Region
- Hokkaido
- Journeys
- The Custom Tour of Japan
overview
A volcano rising straight from the sea, and an island of flowers beside it.
Rishiri is a single volcano rising from the sea to 1,721 metres, an almost round island some twenty kilometres across with a coast road of about sixty kilometres around its foot. The mountain, called Rishiri Fuji, is seen from every side of the island and from far across the water, and its name comes from the Ainu for high island. Rebun, across a strait of about ten kilometres to the west, is long, low and green, its name from the Ainu for offshore island.
Rebun is known as the island of flowers. The cold winds at this latitude mean that alpine plants which grow high in the mountains elsewhere in Japan flower here near sea level, and some three hundred kinds grow on its hills and headlands. Among them is the Rebun atsumoriso, a pale yellow lady's slipper orchid found only on this island and protected by law.
Both islands live from the sea. Rishiri kombu, the kelp of these waters, is one of the most prized in Japan and the foundation of many of the clear broths of Kyoto, and the sea urchin of Rishiri and Rebun, fed on that kelp, is sweet and rich. The islands are the northern edge of Japan: quiet fishing villages, cliffs above clear water, and the volcano over the sea.
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see and do
What to see on Rishiri and Rebun
Mount Rishiri
The volcano at the centre of Rishiri, 1,721 metres high and almost perfectly conical when seen from the sea or from Rebun, called Rishiri Fuji.
Himenuma Pond
A small pond in the forest above Oshidomari, with a level walk around its shore and the summit of Rishiri reflected in its water on a still day.
Otatomari-numa
The largest pond on Rishiri, in the south of the island, ringed by marsh and forest, with the mountain rising directly behind it.
Cape Peshi
A headland of rock above the ferry port of Oshidomari, with a lighthouse at the top and a view over the harbour to the mountain and across the strait to Rebun.
Momoiwa
A great dome of rock on the west coast of Rebun, named for its peach shape, above slopes covered in alpine flowers, with a level path to the viewpoint.
Cape Sukoton
The northern tip of Rebun, a grassy headland looking out over the sea to the small island of Todojima.
Cape Sukai
A cliff on the west coast of Rebun above a cove of water so clear and blue that the sea floor can be seen from the top.
The Rebun atsumoriso colony
A protected hillside in the north of Rebun where the island's own pale yellow lady's slipper orchid grows, watched over and seen from a walkway.
experiences
The best of Rishiri and Rebun
The two islands by private car
A driver and guide on each island, around the coast road of Rishiri to its ponds and capes, and along Rebun from Momoiwa to Cape Sukoton, at an easy pace.
The flowers of Rebun
A gentle walk across Rebun's headlands with a botanist who knows its alpine plants, from the lady's slipper orchids to the meadows above the cliffs.
Kombu and sea urchin
A morning with a kombu family as the kelp dries on the shore, and a lunch of sea urchin taken from the island waters the same day.
plan your visit
Rishiri and Rebun on a journey through Japan
- How long to stay
- Two nights for both islands, one on each, or three nights for an easy journey with time for Rebun's flowers and Rishiri's coast.
- Getting there
- By ferry from Wakkanai to Rishiri in about an hour and forty minutes and to Rebun in about two hours, with a ferry of about forty-five minutes between the islands. Rishiri also has a small airport with flights from Sapporo of about an hour, and Wakkanai has direct flights from Tokyo Haneda.
- Pairs well with
- The islands are a journey of their own at the northern end of Hokkaido, best joined to Sapporo and Otaru or to the hills of Biei and the gorge of Sounkyo on the drive north.SapporoBieiSounkyoDaisetsuzanOtaru
journeys
Rishiri and Rebun on a private journey
We bring guests to Rishiri and Rebun on the Custom Tour of Japan, created around your party alone, on your dates, with your own Tour Director.
questions
Rishiri and Rebun: questions answered
How do you get to Rishiri and Rebun?
By ferry from Wakkanai, about an hour and forty minutes to Rishiri and two hours to Rebun, or by air to Rishiri Airport from Sapporo. Wakkanai has direct flights from Tokyo Haneda.
How many days do you need for Rishiri and Rebun?
Two nights at the least, one on each island, and three for an easy pace with time for Rebun's flowers and the coast road of Rishiri.
Why is Rebun called the island of flowers?
Because some three hundred kinds of alpine plants flower on its hills near sea level, among them the Rebun atsumoriso, a lady's slipper orchid found nowhere else.
What is Rishiri kombu?
Rishiri kombu is the kelp harvested and dried on Rishiri and Rebun, one of the most prized in Japan for its clear, delicate broth, and much used in Kyoto cooking.
Can you see Mount Rishiri from Rebun?
Yes. Mount Rishiri rises across the strait from Rebun's east coast and from many of its headlands, a cone of 1,721 metres standing in the sea.
Can Rishiri and Rebun be part of a private tour of Japan?
Yes. The Custom Tour of Japan is created around your party alone, on your dates, with your own Tour Director, and it can go anywhere in the country, Rishiri and Rebun included. If you would rather travel independently, the Expert Japan Itinerary plans every day for you.
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Rishiri and Rebun, planned for you.
Tell us when you would like to travel and what draws you to Rishiri and Rebun, and we will answer with a Custom Tour of Japan created around your party alone, or, if you would rather travel independently, an Expert Japan Itinerary that plans every day for you.