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Hokkaido · Japan
The northeastern peninsula of Hokkaido, a UNESCO natural heritage site, with the Five Lakes at the foot of the mountains, waterfalls that fall into the sea, brown bears and the sea ice of the Sea of Okhotsk in winter.
In the photo: Lake and mountains at the Five Lakes of Shiretoko.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Shiretoko is a narrow, mountainous peninsula in northeastern Hokkaido that juts about 70 km into the Sea of Okhotsk. The name comes from the Ainu language and is often translated as "end of the land." The northern half has no roads and can only be seen by boat or on long trails. In 2005, the peninsula and the surrounding sea were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for the link between the plankton-rich sea and the forest, with salmon ascending the rivers, brown bears and Steller’s sea eagles.
The west side belongs to the town of Shari. The village of Utoro, on the coast, is where the ryokan and guesthouses cluster, and it has the tour-boat port and the Oronko rock. From there the road leads to the park visitor center, where the trail to Furepe Falls starts, and to the Five Lakes, which have elevated boardwalks and ground trails that require caution because of bears. The Shiretoko Pass road crosses the peninsula to Rausu on the other side during summer and autumn.
In winter, from January to March, the sea ice that forms in the northern Sea of Okhotsk often reaches Shiretoko’s coast and covers the sea in white. The arrival and duration vary a lot from year to year. At that time the mountain roads close and visits concentrate in Utoro, with guided walks on the ice and birdwatching.
The journey to Shiretoko is long: the nearest airport is Memanbetsu, near Abashiri, and the train station is in the town of Shari, about 40 km from Utoro. Two or three days allow you to see the lakes, the waterfalls and take a boat along the coastal cliffs. Trail access rules change with the season and with bear activity.
This destination brings together 1 city: Shari.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Dados cartográficos: © OpenStreetMap contributors, via Wambacher / geoBoundaries (ODbL 1.0). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Aeroporto de Memanbetsu (MMB), in Ozora · 56 km to Shari
Memanbetsu Airport, with flights from Tokyo and Sapporo, is about a 2-hour bus ride from Utoro, on a seasonal service. By train, the Senmo Line runs from Abashiri to Shiretoko-Shari Station, from which buses continue to Utoro in about 50 minutes.
The local experience
Five small lakes in the forest at the base of the Shiretoko mountains, seen from an elevated boardwalk with an electric fence up to the first lake, and from ground trails that have rules related to bears.
A ribbon of water that springs from the rock and falls from a cliff about 100 meters straight into the Sea of Okhotsk, reached by a short trail from the park visitor center.
A rock outcrop about 60 meters high next to Utoro’s port, with a staircase to the top and views of the Sea of Okhotsk, the village, the Shiretoko mountains and the sunset.
The highest point of the road that crosses the Shiretoko peninsula, at about 740 meters, with views of Mount Rausu and the Nemuro Sea; the road closes in winter.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From June to October, when trails and boats operate; the Shiretoko Pass usually opens from late April to early November. October brings foliage and salmon in the rivers. From January to March, sea ice often reaches the coast, on dates that change every year. Winter is very cold.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Two days cover the Five Lakes, Furepe Falls and a coastal boat trip. With three days you can include the Shiretoko Pass and Rausu on the far side of the peninsula, or a longer hike.
Utoro is the base, with seaside hotels and hot-spring guesthouses near the port, a short walk from the visitor center and the Five Lakes. The town of Shari, next to the station, has simple lodgings. On the other side of the peninsula, Rausu has guesthouses linked to whale- and eagle-watching in winter.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
The peninsula has one of the highest densities of brown bears in the world, and the rules exist to avoid encounters. Follow the visitor center’s guidance, do not take food on the trails, do not approach or feed animals, and use elevated boardwalks or guided walks when they are mandatory.
Sea ice typically reaches the coast between late January and March, but the timing and extent vary widely from year to year, and in some years it stays far from the coast. Guided walks on the ice depart from Utoro during the season.
Two days for the Five Lakes, Furepe Falls and a boat trip. Three days let you cross the Shiretoko Pass to Rausu or do longer hikes.
It helps a lot, because distances are large and buses are few. Without a car, you can reach Utoro by bus and use the local bus for the Five Lakes and the boat trip. In winter, driving requires experience with snow and ice.
Only by boat: the northern half has no roads. Tour boats depart from Utoro, generally from April to October, and some go as far as Cape Shiretoko depending on sea conditions.
Beyond the guide
