Omu Sights: Sunrise Cape and Hidden Waterfalls

What Kind of Town Is Omu?

Omu is a town on the Sea of Okhotsk in the northern part of Monbetsu District. Its area is about 637 square kilometers, larger than the 23 wards of Tokyo combined, yet only about 3 square kilometers of it is residential land. Most of the rest is taken up by mountain forest, wild fields and coastline.

The town’s name is said to come from an Ainu word meaning “the place where the river’s end is blocked,” and one theory holds that it comes from the way sand closes off the mouth of the Omu River. This article introduces the sights of the town in order of latitude, from north to south. There are few amusement facilities here, but that leaves all the more natural scenery to enjoy.

1. Roadside Station Omu (道の駅おうむ)

Roadside Station Omu stands in the middle of Omu’s town center, on the site of the former Japanese National Railways Omu Station. It is a building that stands out from far away, and the town describes it as a good first stop on arriving in Omu, a place to get a feel for the town.

The observation deck is about as high as the seventh floor of a building, and from it you can look out over the town of Omu and the Sea of Okhotsk beyond. In winter you may even see drift ice filling the sea. The round roof looks like a scallop, but it is actually said to be modeled on an airship.

In the shop you can buy local specialties and taste the town’s famous Tartary buckwheat noodles (dattan soba). Opening hours and days vary by season, and the shop is said to be open only from April to October. Please check the official information before you go.

2. Kaze no Oka Park (風の丘公園)

Kaze no Oka Park (“Hill of the Wind”) opens out on a hill behind the roadside station, and below it the Okhotsk sea stretches away in a single sweep. On the north side is a 36-hole park golf course, and in winter the slope on the south side becomes a ski area.

Next to it lies a “living environment conservation forest,” with walking paths running through the park. In summer people stroll and picnic, and in the snowy season you see people gliding through the woods on narrow cross-country skis, so it is a familiar playground for the townspeople. On a clear day the mountains of the Piyashiri range stand out sharply.

As its name suggests, the wind can be strong on top of the hill. Take care that hats and light belongings are not blown away, and in winter watch out for icy surfaces. Please take your trash home and enjoy the view quietly.

3. Hinode Cape (日の出岬)

Hinode Cape (“Sunrise Cape”) lies about 11 kilometers southeast of central Omu and about 11 kilometers from the roadside station in Okoppe as well. The town’s tourist association calls it Omu’s number one sightseeing spot. It is known for beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and the sight of the Sea of Okhotsk turning orange is a popular one.

On the cape are an all-glass observation room called “La Luna” and a spacious campground. The campground has bungalows and playground equipment, and you can also play along the rocky shore. There is also a hotel with a hot spring on the cape, which is said to accept bathers who are not staying overnight.

To see the sunrise you will need to set out early. Before dawn it is dark and cold, so please prepare for the cold and watch your footing. For rocky-shore play, avoid days with high waves, and check the tide and the weather before you enjoy it.

4. Piyashiri Wetland (ピヤシリ湿原)

Piyashiri Wetland is the northernmost raised bog in Japan, located about 4 kilometers into the Omu side from the summit of Mount Piyashiri, which is about 987 meters high. Under the Sakhalin spruce forest, communities of alpine plants such as round-leaved sundew, cotton grass and mountain heath spread out, and the place is described as a beautiful carpet of flowers.

You cannot drive up to the wetland. You have to walk 2.5 kilometers each way from the trailhead where the walk begins, 5 kilometers round trip. The forest road leading to the trailhead has a gate that is kept closed partway, and going beyond it requires advance procedures.

This is the living ground of wild animals, including the brown bear. When you enter the mountain, let your presence be known with a bell or similar, and avoid going alone. The plants of the wetland are very delicate, and once trampled they take many years to recover. Please do not step off the boardwalk or the designated paths.

5. Shinmon Falls and Shoryu Falls (神門の滝・昇竜の滝)

Shinmon Falls lies deep in the mountains, about 40 minutes by car from central Omu. The spray and roar of the water falling from a height of about 30 meters are powerful, and you can also play at searching for crayfish in the plunge pool. About 50 meters farther up the river is Shoryu Falls.

The only way to reach Shoryu Falls is to walk through the river, so bringing rubber boots is recommended. The river is shallow, but in early spring the water is high and the current is fast, so caution is needed. The area around the falls is said to be at risk of collapse and falling rocks.

This is deep in the mountains, away from any settlement, and mobile phones do not work. You also need to watch out for brown bears and hornets. The forest road is a single lane with poor visibility, and it may be closed in winter. Before you go, please check the latest conditions with the town’s Industrial Promotion Division or similar. We strongly recommend going with an experienced companion and making a plan that is not overly ambitious.

Local Specialties, Food and Drink

Along Omu’s coast, salmon, scallops and crab are caught. Fishing, together with dairy farming, livestock and forestry, is one of the town’s core industries.

At the roadside station you can eat the famous Tartary buckwheat noodles. On the last Sunday of September the “Omu no Takara Umaimon Festival” (Treasures of Omu Delicacies Festival) is also held, gathering the town’s flavors. The shops that serve them and the timing change easily, so please check the latest information before you go.

Rare Creatures and Nature

Omu has a humid continental climate with large swings in temperature, and in winter it lies in a designated special heavy-snow area. The symbol of the town’s tourism is the sunrise climbing from the horizon of the Sea of Okhotsk. In winter there is also a season when drift ice covers the sea.

Precious nature remains in the mountains, as at Piyashiri Wetland. The mountains are also the habitat of wild animals such as the brown bear, so when you enter the mountains or forest roads, please prepare thoroughly and gather information.

Other Notable Things About This Town

In the Edo period, Omu belonged to the Soya Basho (trading district) of the Matsumae domain. Omu Village was established in 1872, Omu, Horonai and Sawaki villages merged in 1915, and it became a town in 1948.

The town holds an Industry and Tourism Festival on the last weekend of June, the Omu Shrine Festival on July 17, and the Omu no Takara Umaimon Festival in September. They are seasonal events that give thanks for both the town’s industries and its faith.

The Night Side: Ghost Stories and Haunted Places of This Town

So far we have followed the daytime face of Omu from north to south: the roadside station, the park on the hill, the cape of the sunrise, the falls deep in the mountains and the northernmost wetland. Every one of these places overlaps with the time of people who have lived amid a rough sea and severe cold.

As for the night side, we have not been able to identify any story that stands as a ghost tale or haunted spot. In our view, the falls and wetland deep in the mountains seem to be places where the silence stands out all the more because there is no sign of people. But that is nothing more than the movement of the visitor’s own mind. The mountains and forest roads are dark at night and carry dangers such as brown bears, so please visit during the day.

On KARASU CHANNEL, we set out true ghost stories and haunted places not to visit them but to record them. Having learned the daytime scenery, please read the stories of the night as well.

Before You Go

Opening hours, fees, closing days and access change easily, so they are not listed in this article. Before you go, please check the latest information on the official website of each facility or local government. Some places may be restricted from entry because of weather or disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the best sight in Omu?

A. The town’s tourist association names Hinode Cape as its number one sightseeing spot. It is a cape with beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and it has an observation room and a campground.

Q. Can anyone go to Shinmon Falls?

A. It lies deep in the mountains, about 40 minutes by car from central Omu, the forest road is narrow, and there is a risk of falling rocks and collapse. Mobile phones also do not work, so please check the latest road conditions and go with a plan that is not overly ambitious.

Q. Can I drive to Piyashiri Wetland?

A. You cannot drive close to it. You have to walk about 5 kilometers round trip from the nearest trailhead, and going beyond the gate on the forest road requires forest-entry approval or similar.

Sources consulted
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/雄武町
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ピヤシリ山
https://www.town.oumu.hokkaido.jp/soshiki/sangyoshinkoka/kankou/kankousupoxtuto/1815.html
https://www.town.oumu.hokkaido.jp/soshiki/sangyoshinkoka/kankou/kankousupoxtuto/1817.html
https://www.town.oumu.hokkaido.jp/soshiki/sangyoshinkoka/kankou/kankousupoxtuto/1818.html
https://www.town.oumu.hokkaido.jp/soshiki/sangyoshinkoka/kankou/kankousupoxtuto/1812.html
https://www.town.oumu.hokkaido.jp/soshiki/sangyoshinkoka/kankou/kankousupoxtuto/1822.html
https://welcome-oumu.hokkaido.jp/outdoor_activities/