Rishiri Sights: Lava Coasts and Island History at the Foot of Rishiri Fuji

What Kind of Town Is Rishiri?

Rishiri is a town on the southwest side of Rishiri Island, which floats in the Sea of Japan about 50 kilometers west of Wakkanai. At the center of the island rises Mt. Rishiri (Rishiri Fuji), 1,721 meters high, and the town is divided into the Kutsugata district in the north and the Senhoshi district in the south. In 1956 the town of Kutsugata and the village of Senhoshi merged to become today’s Rishiri.

This article introduces the sights of the town in order of latitude, that is, from north to south. Please read it as if making a daytime circuit of Rishiri: a graveyard that tells the island’s history, a famous sunset spot, a coastline made by lava, a lookout halfway up the mountain, a spring, a museum, and a park at the island’s southern tip.

1. Graves of the Aizu Samurai (会津藩士の墓)

In 1807, Russian ships attacked Rishiri Island, which was then under the direct control of the shogunate. The shogunate hurriedly ordered the Aizu domain to guard the north, and about 250 retainers were sent to the islands. There was no full-scale fighting with Russia, but some retainers lost their lives here because of the harsh nature and the shortage of food.

Such graves remain in three places on Rishiri Island, and the one in Tanetomi-cho, Kutsugata, is one of them. The two men who rest here are said to have died aboard a ship returning from guard duty in Karafuto (Sakhalin). Today it is protected as a historic site designated by the town.

This is our own speculation, but the fact that the graves of people who crossed the sea from distant Aizu have been tended by islanders to this day may be proof that the locals never thought of them as strangers. As this is a burial ground, please visit prepared to quietly put your hands together. The parking area is not large.

2. Kutsugata Cape Park (沓形岬公園)

Kutsugata Cape Park is a park made from a cape that juts out on the west side of the island. Black lava edges the coastline, with Mt. Rishiri behind and Rebun Island visible offshore. The flowers change with the seasons: black lilies around May, Ezo daylilies and rugosa roses in June, and Chishima cranesbill in July.

In the park stands a poem monument to Otowa Shigure, a lyricist born in this town. Shigure was born in Kutsugata in 1893, became a lyricist at a record company after a poem he published in a magazine, and wrote hit songs such as “Kimi Koishi.” After a monument for his song “Defune no Minato” was erected in 1960, islanders are said to have begun calling this cape “Donto Misaki” after the lyrics.

It is especially popular in the evening, when the sun sets on the horizon. However, the cape is windy and the ground is rocky lava. Please be careful not to get too close to the sea.

3. Mikaeridai Observation Deck (見返台展望台)

Mikaeridai is the starting point of the Kutsugata course up Mt. Rishiri. It lies at an elevation of about 500 meters, which corresponds to the fifth station on the climbing trail. Because you can drive halfway up the mountain, you can enjoy the view from the mountain’s embrace without serious climbing gear.

From the parking lot, the view opens up once you climb a steep unpaved staircase. A deep forest spreads at your feet, and beyond it the horizon of the Sea of Japan continues. Look back, and the ridge leading to the summit is close at hand. In autumn, when the air is clear, the ridge stands out sharply, and some people also come at night to look at the stars and the lights of the town.

The Kutsugata course beyond this point has difficult and crumbly sections and is considered suitable for experienced climbers. Even though the observation deck is easy to reach, if you aim for the summit you need proper equipment, a plan, and a portable toilet. Because of the altitude it is colder than at the seaside and the weather changes easily, so please take care.

4. Kamuy Terrace (Kamui Coast) (カムイテラス（神居海岸）)

Kamuy Terrace is an observation deck on the coast of the Kamui district, not far from the Kutsugata town center. Built to project out toward the Sea of Japan, it overlooks rough rock surfaces shaped over long ages by lava. You can watch waves crash and break white against the rocks from very close.

Around June, the yellow flowers of Ezo daylilies bloom near the black rocks. The Ezo daylily is also the “town flower” of Rishiri, and it is a landscape that represents early summer on the island. In the evening the setting sun dyes the sea red, and the silhouette of Rebun Island across the water stands out clearly. It is said that lighting is sometimes put on at night.

On the same Kamui coast there is also a facility that offers experiences such as touching tide-pool creatures. The rocks are slippery when wet with waves, so please watch your step if you leave the deck and go down to the shore.

5. Kita no Itsukushima Benten Shrine (北のいつくしま弁天宮)

Kita no Itsukushima Benten Shrine is a small shrine near the coastal road in the Senhoshi district. Tourist guides introduce it as a place where the history and Japanese culture of Rishiri Island remain. This is our own speculation, but since Benten is known as a deity associated with water and the sea, perhaps the hopes of islanders who have lived by fishing are enshrined here.

Right nearby are “Nekuma no Iwa” (Sleeping Bear Rock), which looks like a sleeping bear, and “Jinmen-iwa” (Human Face Rock), which looks like a human face. Both are lava rocks carved by waves and wind, and their impression changes with the angle and the light. To make sure the shapes come out clearly in photos, we recommend first stepping back a little and viewing them from the sea side.

The shrine is a place where people still pray today. When visiting, please show quiet respect, for example by not shouting on the grounds and not touching offerings or the shrine buildings. Please also take care when taking photos so as not to disturb other worshippers.

6. Reiho Spring (麗峰湧水)

Reiho Spring is a water-drawing spot along Hokkaido Road 108 in the Senhoshi district. It is introduced as water from rain and snowmelt that fell on the mountain, polished as it slowly passed through the body of Mt. Rishiri, and welled up to the surface after more than 30 years.

Water spills constantly from a concrete spout, and it is so cold that your fingertips chill even in midsummer. Taking it home is said to be free, and both locals and travelers on a drive stop by with bottles in hand. Keep it in the back of your mind as a small resting place on the road around the island.

The water quality when drunk untreated, and changes in the flow, may differ from time to time. For whether it can be drunk and any precautions, please check the latest guidance from the town’s official website or the tourism association. For those who follow after you, please do not dirty the surroundings and use the water with care.

7. Rishiri Town Museum (利尻町立博物館)

The Rishiri Town Museum is a town-run museum whose purpose is to collect, record and preserve materials related to Rishiri Island and to pass them on to the next generation. It is located in Senhoshi Honmachi, and carries out research on the island’s nature and history as well as outreach activities to share it widely.

Among its collections are artifacts excavated from the Matachi shell mound. These artifacts are designated Tangible Cultural Properties of Hokkaido, and are clues that people have lived on the island since long ago. Rishiri Island was opened as a trading post of the Matsumae domain and also prospered from herring fishing, and it took a long journey before it became known as an island of kelp and sea urchin.

The museum may close without notice during bad weather, disasters, or poor road conditions. Before you visit, please check the opening status on the official website. If you learn about the island’s nature and history first and then walk to other places, the same scenery should look different.

8. Senhoshi Misaki Park (仙法志御崎公園)

Senhoshi Misaki Park is the southernmost park on Rishiri Island. Mt. Rishiri draws its ridgeline behind it, and along the shore stand black strange rocks formed when lava from an old eruption cooled and hardened. As a place where the power of the island’s nature is easy to feel, it is a staple of island tours.

The sea is highly transparent, and if you peer in you can see swaying kelp and sea urchins among the rocks. In most years, spotted seals may appear on the rocks from around June to around September. Seals are wild animals, so please do not get too close, and watch quietly from a distance without feeding them or shouting.

The park has a parking lot and toilets, and there are shops selling souvenirs nearby. The coast is windy, and the rocks are dangerous on days when waves are high. Please take great care over slippery footing and the weather. Many people seem to stop here at the end of their trip around the island.

Local Specialties, Food and Drink

The sea’s bounty of Rishiri means Rishiri kelp and sea urchin. The town’s official website also describes the town as a “town of fishing and tourism.” Island sea urchin is said to be highly rated for its taste because it grows by eating good-quality kelp.

On the other hand, sea urchin is easy to catch and its stock easily fluctuates. It is reported that the island continues its efforts to protect a stable catch by setting various limits on fishing. When you think of the history of an island that once prospered on herring and has shifted to fishing that protects its resources, a single plate feels different in weight. Availability and season change, so please check the latest information before you go.

Rare Creatures and Nature

Rishiri’s town flower is the Ezo daylily, its bird is the Japanese robin, and its tree is the Siberian dwarf pine. From spring to summer alpine plants bloom, and many wild birds, including the Rishiri robin, sing. The native habitat of the Chishima cherry on the island is designated a Natural Monument of Hokkaido.

The climbing trails of Mt. Rishiri are so delicate that the soil is worn away just by people walking on them. Climbers are asked to follow three agreements known as the “Rishiri Rules”: bring a portable toilet, put caps on the tips of trekking poles, and do not step on or sit on plants. Do not take flowers or plants home, and stay on the designated paths.

Other Notable Things About This Town

Rishiri Island was opened as a trading post of the Matsumae domain in the Edo period. In 1848, Ranald MacDonald, who became Japan’s first native English teacher, is said to have landed on the island. The island’s history also overlaps with the memory of the northern sea where foreign ships came and went.

The town holds seasonal events, such as the annual festivals of Senhoshi Shrine and Kitami Fuji Shrine in June, and the Ukishima Festival and the Nomube Kuube Festival in August. In our view, these festivals seem to be tied to gratitude toward the sea that nurtures kelp and sea urchin.

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

So far we have followed the daytime face of Rishiri from north to south: the graves of the samurai, the sunset cape, the lava coast, the middle of the mountain. Every one of these places carries layers of time lived by people amid rough seas and bitter 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 burial grounds of people who left their distant homeland and lost their lives on a northern island seem to hold a quiet presence. However, that is no more than a movement of the visitor’s own heart. A burial ground is not a place to visit at night out of curiosity, so please go in the daytime and quietly put your hands together.

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. How do I get to Rishiri?

A. You can take a ferry from Wakkanai Port to Oshidomari Port or Kutsugata Port on Rishiri Island, or fly to Rishiri Airport. Sailings and flights are sometimes cancelled or delayed by weather, so please check operating conditions beforehand.

Q. Can I drive to the Mikaeridai Observation Deck on Mt. Rishiri?

A. Yes, you can drive up to Mikaeridai, which is the fifth station of Mt. Rishiri. However, the Kutsugata course toward the summit is considered suitable for experienced climbers, so if you are thinking of climbing, please prepare your equipment and plan thoroughly.

Q. Can I see seals at Senhoshi Misaki Park?

A. In most years, spotted seals may appear from around June to around September. They are wild animals, so you will not always see them. Please do not get too close, and observe quietly from a distance.

Official sites and references consulted
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/利尻町
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/利尻山
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1343.html
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1130.html
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1340.html
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1131.html
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1132.html
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1134.html
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1133.html
https://www.north-hokkaido.com/spot/detail_1129.html
https://rishiri-town.jp/町の紹介/町の概要/
https://rishiri-town.jp/教育/利尻町博物館/