Rishiri Rebun Sarobetsu National Park

How to get there

Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park is Japan’s northernmost national park and brims with colorful flowers and diverse natural landscapes. The park comprises two islands, Rishiri and Rebun, and the Wakasakanai Coast and Sarobetsu Plain on Hokkaido’s main island. A car is convenient for exploring Wakasakanai and Sarobetsu but leave it behind when you go to explore the islands.

From Tokyo

Make your way to Wakkanai to access the islands and the Wakasakanai and Sarobetsu areas of the park. Flying from Tokyo is the easiest way to get there. Two-hour flights depart from Haneda Airport to Wakkanai Airport, where you can ride the Soya Bus Airport Line to reach Wakkanai Port Ferry Terminal in 35 minutes. At the port, take a ferry bound for Rishiri Island’s Oshidomari Port (1 hr 40 min), or Rebun Islands’s Kafuka Port (1 hr 55 min). The port is also close to Wakkanai Station, where you can ride trains and buses to reach areas along the Wakasakanai Coast and in Sarobetsu Plain.

From Sapporo

From Sapporo, you can reach Wakkanai Station by train (5 hr 30 min), air (1 hr), or highway bus (6 hr). There is also a one-hour flight from Sapporo’s Okadama Airport to Rishiri Airport on Rishiri Island (plus some seasonal flights from New Chitose Airport). Although the flight itself can be a little pricey, it can save you a good deal of time and transport-related costs.