National Parks · Hokkaido
Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park
利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園りしりれぶんさろべつこくりつこうえんRishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu Kokuritsu KōenAlpine flowers at sea level, at Japan's northern edge
Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu is Japan's northernmost national park, uniting two islands in the Sea of Japan off Wakkanai with the Sarobetsu wetlands on the Hokkaido mainland. Designated in 1974, it is known for Rishiri's near-perfect volcanic cone and for alpine flowers that bloom close to sea level on Rebun.
Overview
The park lies at the northern tip of Hokkaido and consists of three very different parts. Rishiri is a round island formed by a single stratovolcano, 1,721 m high, whose slopes run down to the sea on every side. Rebun, a long, low island just to its north-west, is built of older rock and famous for meadows of alpine plants that grow almost at sea level. On the mainland, the Sarobetsu Mire and the dune coast of Wakkasakanai form one of Japan's largest peatlands.
The park's key character is latitude. Cold winds from the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk keep summers cool and brief, so plants that in central Japan grow only above 2,500 m flower here on grassy clifftops. Several of them, including the Rebun lady's slipper and the Rishiri poppy, occur nowhere else.
First protected in 1965 as the Rishiri-Rebun Quasi-National Park, the area was raised to national-park status in 1974, when the Sarobetsu plain was added. The islands' fishing communities, with their drying racks for kelp and sea urchin harvests, sit on the edge of the protected land.
Landscape and formation
Rishiri-zan is a stratovolcano whose last eruptions ended several thousand years ago. Erosion has cut deep gullies into its upper cone and left a sharp summit ridge; on its lower slopes lie small crater and maar lakes such as Himenuma and Otatomari-numa. Lava flows reach the shoreline around the island.
Rebun is not volcanic but a raised block of Cretaceous and Neogene rock, with a gentle eastern side and steep sea cliffs on the west, where wind and waves have carved headlands such as Cape Sukoton and Cape Gorota. The Sarobetsu Mire formed on the coastal lowland behind a belt of sand dunes after sea level fell; peat several metres deep has accumulated over thousands of years, and the dunes of Wakkasakanai enclose a string of small lakes between their ridges.
Highlights
- 利尻山Rishiri-zan
The 1,721 m volcano that forms the entire island of Rishiri, one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan.
- 礼文島Rebun-tō
The 'floating island of flowers', with trails along its western cliffs through alpine meadows.
Sarobetsu Mire
サロベツ原野Sarobetsu Gen'yaA coastal peatland with raised bogs, boardwalks and views of Rishiri across the sea; a Ramsar site since 2005.
Himenuma and Otatomari-numa
姫沼・オタトマリ沼Himenuma, Otatomari-numaSmall lakes in the forests at the foot of Rishiri-zan, with walking paths and reflections of the peak.
Cape Sukoton
スコトン岬Sukoton-misakiThe northern tip of Rebun, facing the islet of Todo-jima across a narrow channel.
Momoiwa
桃岩MomoiwaA dome of volcanic rock on Rebun's west coast, surrounded by some of the island's richest flower meadows.
Nature
Ecology
The islands are a meeting point of northern and Japanese floras. Harsh wind, fog and a short summer allow alpine and subarctic species to grow at low altitude; on Rebun some 300 flowering plants have been recorded, including species otherwise found in Sakhalin and the Kurils. Rishiri's upper slopes carry Erman's birch and dwarf pine above forests of Sakhalin fir and spruce.
Sarobetsu is a transitional wetland ecosystem, from sedge fen to Sphagnum raised bog. Drainage for farming in the 20th century dried parts of the mire, and restoration work now aims to raise groundwater levels again. Migratory swans and geese rest on the lakes in spring and autumn.
Flora
Rebun lady's slipper
レブンアツモリソウRebun-atsumorisōA cream-coloured orchid found only on Rebun, strictly protected after heavy poaching; it flowers from late May into June.
Rebun edelweiss
レブンウスユキソウRebun-usuyukisōA small edelweiss of Rebun's grassy slopes, flowering in summer.
Rishiri poppy
リシリヒナゲシRishiri-hinageshiA yellow poppy endemic to the upper scree of Rishiri-zan, among the rarest native poppies in Japan.
Yellow day lily
エゾカンゾウEzo-kanzōCarpets the Sarobetsu Mire and Rebun's slopes in orange-yellow in June and July.
Fauna
Rishiri red-backed vole
リシリムクゲネズミRishiri-mukuge-nezumiA vole found only on Rishiri, isolated from its mainland relatives.
Viviparous lizard
コモチカナヘビkomochi-kanahebiA northern lizard that bears live young; in Japan it lives only in the far north of Hokkaido, including Sarobetsu.
Swans and geese
Whooper swans and bean geese stop over on the lakes of the Sarobetsu plain during spring and autumn migration.
Seabirds
Black-tailed gulls and other seabirds nest on Rebun's cliffs and the islet off Cape Sukoton.
Culture
Both islands were used by the prehistoric Okhotsk and Jōmon peoples; the Funadomari site on Rebun yielded burials and shell ornaments from the Jōmon period. From the Edo period, the islands were fishing grounds for herring, and after the herring vanished in the mid-20th century the local economy turned to kelp and sea urchin. Rishiri kelp is prized throughout Japan as a base for dashi (soup stock).
In 1848 the American adventurer Ranald MacDonald landed on Rishiri, deliberately risking arrest in closed Japan. Sent to Nagasaki, he taught English to Japanese interpreters and is remembered as the first native English teacher in the country; a monument stands on the island.
Funadomari site
船泊遺跡Funadomari isekiJōmon-period settlement on northern Rebun, known for shell beads and well-preserved burials.
Ranald MacDonald monument
Memorial on Rishiri marking where MacDonald came ashore in 1848.
Sarobetsu Mire Center
サロベツ湿原センターSarobetsu Shitsugen SentāVisitor centre in Toyotomi with a boardwalk loop through the mire.
History
Jōmon period
People settle Rebun; the Funadomari site shows long-distance trade in shells and stone.
c. 5th–12th century
The Okhotsk culture, based on sea-mammal hunting, occupies the islands' coasts.
Edo period
The Matsumae domain organises herring and kelp fisheries around the islands.
1848
Ranald MacDonald lands on Rishiri and is taken to Nagasaki, where he teaches English.
1965
Rishiri and Rebun are designated a quasi-national park.
1974
Upgraded to national park on 20 September, with the Sarobetsu plain added.
2005
The Sarobetsu Mire is listed as a Ramsar wetland.
Through the seasons
Spring
Snow stays on Rishiri-zan into June; on Rebun the first flowers and the Rebun lady's slipper appear from late May.
Summer
Peak season from June to August: flower trails on Rebun, the climbing season on Rishiri-zan and day lilies in Sarobetsu. Sea fog is frequent.
Autumn
Swans and geese pass through Sarobetsu; the islands turn quiet and winds strengthen from October.
Winter
Long, snowy and stormy, with strong north-westerly winds; ferries run less often and can be cancelled. Rishiri-zan is climbed only by experienced winter mountaineers.
Routes and trails
Rishiri-zan via the Oshidomari route
The main ascent from the Hokumen campsite through forest and scree to the northern summit; 9 to 11 hours return.
Rebun eight-hour course
A long coastal trail from Cape Sukoton down the west coast, with steep sections and beach walking; requires good weather.
Momoiwa observation course
A half-day ridge walk from Kafuka over Momoiwa to Cape Motochi through dense flower meadows.
Sarobetsu boardwalk
A level loop through the mire from the Sarobetsu Mire Center, suitable for all visitors.
Rishiri island circuit
A road of about 60 km around the island, with a cycling path along much of the north and west.
Practical notes
- Wakkanai is the gateway, reached by air from Tokyo and Sapporo or by JR limited express from Sapporo in about five hours.
- Sea conditions can cancel ferries at any season; allow spare time when combining the islands with flights.
- Rare plants are protected: stay on marked trails and never dig or pick flowers.
- On Rishiri-zan carry sufficient water, as there is no reliable source above the lower slopes; the weather at the summit can differ sharply from the coast.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Rishiri and Rebun?
Ferries run from Wakkanai to Oshidomari and Kutsugata on Rishiri and to Kafuka on Rebun, taking roughly one and a half to two hours; there is also a ferry between the two islands. Rishiri has a small airport.
When do the flowers bloom on Rebun?
The season runs from late May to August, peaking in June and July. The Rebun lady's slipper flowers from late May into June, the Rebun edelweiss in summer.
How hard is the climb of Rishiri-zan?
The standard route from Oshidomari (Hokumen) climbs about 1,500 vertical metres and takes 9 to 11 hours return. The summit ridge is steep and loose; the true summit, Minami-mine, is closed to climbing.
What is the Sarobetsu Mire?
A peat wetland of raised bogs and fens on the coastal plain south of Wakkanai, listed as a Ramsar site in 2005. In summer it is covered with yellow day lilies, with Rishiri-zan rising across the sea.
Why is Rishiri called Rishiri Fuji?
Seen from the sea or from Sarobetsu, the island is a single symmetrical volcanic cone rising straight from the water, which reminded people of Mount Fuji.
Related
Sources
- 1.利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
- 2.国立公園の概要 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
- 3.Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park (opens in a new tab) — Ministry of the Environment, Japan
- 4.Ramsar Sites Information Service (opens in a new tab) — Ramsar Convention Secretariat