Rishiri Island

Rishiri is a round island about 20 km off Hokkaido's northwest coast, and the island is the mountain. Mt Rishiri climbs out of the sea to 1,721 m at its south peak. From Numaura on the south side you see the outline printed on Shiroi Koibito cookie boxes, and from Himenuma pond you see it upside down in the water.

Getting here is the first commitment. Heart Land Ferry sails from Wakkanai, the end of the railway north from Sapporo, to Oshidomari in 1 hour 40 minutes; in 2026 a second-class ticket cost 3,590 yen each way. Flights are short but few. JAL flies from Sapporo's Okadama airport once a day all year, and ANA adds one a day from New Chitose, usually only from June to September. Both take about 50 minutes. Fog and wind stop boats and planes alike, so leave a spare day at the end.

The climb is why many people come. The Oshidomari route starts at the Hokuroku campsite, at about 200 m, and gains around 1,500 m. The Ministry of the Environment puts the round trip at 10 to 11 hours and says that if you need more than four hours to reach Chokanzan at the eighth station, going on is dangerous. There are no toilets on the mountain, only booths for the portable toilet bags every climber is expected to buy on the island and carry. The south peak is roped off, so climbers stop at the north peak. In June 2025 the ministry reported the Kutsugata route closed above Sanchozan at the ninth station after the trail collapsed; check before planning it.

Off the mountain it is fishing villages, kombu drying on the beaches and summer sea urchin. Soya Bus runs the island's only buses.