Japan's Far North
5 Day Hiking & Sea Kayaking Tour

1. Day 1 Ferry to Rebun Island

   This tour kicks off in Wakkanai, the northernmost city in Hokkaido and Japan. Your group will meet between 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm in Central Wakkanai. You can fly directly from Tokyo Haneda to Wakkanai Airport with ANA, or alternatively take a JR (Japan Railway) train, which takes just over 5 hours from Sapporo JR Station.

   Once everyone is together, we will hold a short meeting to introduce ourselves and brief everyone on the upcoming adventure. We then catch the ferry to Rebun Island at around 2:00 pm and in just under 2 hours we will arrive on Rebun, nicknamed the ”floating flower garden”.

   Japanese flower lovers flock to this island each June to admire the rare alpine flowers that can be sighted in lower altitudes. Later in the season, we are still able to enjoy our island adventure without the crowds but the remnants of summer can still be felt in the warm water and long twilight.

   After getting off the ferry, we’ll set off to our accommodation on the coast, where we’ll settle in for the next two nights. (D)

   No Hiking

2. Day 2 Hiking on Rebun Island

   Today we will explore the northern part of Rebun Island starting from Cape Sukoton. The cape is the northernmost end of Rebun Island, which overlooks small rocky islands dotted in the blue ocean extending to the north. On a clear day, you will be able to catch sight of Sakhalin Island, part of Russia, over La Pérouse Strait. This is as far north as you can get!

   We’ll enjoy walking on the scenic coastal trail exploring Cape Gorota and Cape Sky. The blue sea that hugs rocky coves and the fishing villages here and there provide a unique island hiking experience.

   Once we complete the walk, we will travel by van to hopefully see more of Rebun’s flora and fauna. Cape Kanedano is our favourite spot to spot wild seals, which are often seen sunbathing on rocks on a fine day. (B, L, D)

   Hiking Distance – 9km / 7.5miles
   Elevation – 190m / 623ft
   Time – 4 hours

3. Day 3 Hiking on Rebun Island & Ferry to Rishiri Island

   This morning we will explore the southern part of Rebun Island, hiking along the Momoiwa Trail. The trail starts near the ferry terminal and takes us down to the southern tip of the island. This popular trail provides unique scenery combining the ocean, rugged coastline, neighbouring Rishiri Island and colourful flowers along the trail.

   Once we finish the walk, we will have lunch near the ferry terminal before catching an early afternoon departure for Rishiri Island. The forty-minute ferry ride takes us to a completely different landscape; Rishiri is literally an island volcano whose summit is 1,721m / 5,646ft above sea level.

   We will spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the native conifer forest at the foot of Mt Rishiri-Fuji and Himenuma, a famous little lake that reflects Mt Rishiri-Fuji on its mirror-like surface. Depending on the weather forecast for the next couple of days, we may shuffle the activities and reschedule sea kayaking for this afternoon. (B, L, D)

   Hiking Distance – 6 km / 3.7 miles
   Elevation – 250m / 820ft
   Time – 3 to 4 hours

4. Day 4 Hiking to Mt Rishiri-Fuji

   If the weather permits, we’ll take on the challenge of climbing the 1,721m/5,645ft high Mt Rishiri, also known as Rishiri-Fuji. The island climate makes Rishiri-Fuji a difficult peak to reach as it can be extremely windy and cold at any time of year. Japanese hikers who are determined to conquer the peak often stay on the island for a week, waiting for the ideal weather conditions to hike the mountain.

   If the weather is not fit for climbing Mt Rishiri-Fuji we will aim to summit Mt Chokan, just below 1,200m/3,937ft, before retreating to the onsen hot spring at the foot of the mountain.

   Tonight we dine out at a local izakaya bar-restaurant to celebrate our final night on the island. (B, L, D)

   Hiking Distance – 13 km / 8.1 miles
   Elevation – 1,430m / 4,690ft
   Time – 9 to 10 hours

5. Day 5 Sea Kayaking on Rishiri Island, Ferry to Wakkanai & Farewells

   This morning we will be joined by a local outdoor guide who was born and raised on Rishiri Island and knows every corner of his territory! He will be our guide for our half-day sea kayaking & fishing experience, using his fleet of double kayaks customised for fishing.

   We will paddle along the shore and explore the rocky coastline. The ocean life around Rishiri is both diverse and bountiful; we can catch fish just a stone’s throw from the shoreline.

   After sea kayaking, we will have lunch near the ferry terminal before boarding the ferry for Wakkanai in mid-afternoon. We will say our goodbyes at Wakkanai Ferry Terminal at around 4:30 pm. (B, L)

   Sea Kayaking Time – 3 hours

   Please be aware that depending on the weather and sea conditions, we may switch the programmes of Day 3-5.

Please note that the stroke on the map doesn’t indicate the actual hiking routes.