Sightseeing in Sarufutsu: Wetlands and Scallops

What Kind of Village Is Sarufutsu?

Sarufutsu is a village on the Sea of Okhotsk in the northern part of Hokkaido’s Soya region, and it is the northernmost village in Japan. Setting aside the Northern Territories, no village in the country lies farther north. It is the largest village in Hokkaido by area and, nationwide, second in size only to Totsukawa Village in Nara Prefecture. Forest covers much of the land, and National Route 238 runs north to south along the eastern coast.

Scallop fishing and dairy farming are the pillars of local industry. The village’s catch of natural scallops is among the largest in Japan, and efforts to protect the sea’s resources have long supported daily life here. This article introduces the village’s sights in order of latitude, from north to south. We begin at a park on a ranch, move on to quiet wetlands, and then head south to a plateau where memories of wartime remain.

1. Michi-no-Eki Sarufutsu Park (Wind-and-Snow Tower and Memorial Monument) (道の駅 さるふつ公園（風雪の塔・慰霊碑）)

Michi-no-Eki Sarufutsu Park is a roadside station inside the village-run ranch at Hamaonishibetsu, along National Route 238. In the wide pastures stand the windmill-shaped “Wind-and-Snow Tower” (風雪の塔) and an agricultural museum. The tower is introduced as a monument built to mark 1984, when the village’s raw milk output passed 20,000 tons a year and the average per farm exceeded 200 tons.

In one corner of the park stands a memorial monument, erected in 1971, to those lost in the wreck of the Soviet passenger-cargo ship Indigirka (インディギルカ号), which ran aground off Hamaonishibetsu on December 12, 1939. The disaster brought many deaths and injuries, but villagers are said to have worked desperately in the rescue and saved many lives. A memorial service for the victims is still held every year. On a clear day, it is said, Sakhalin (樺太) can sometimes be seen far in the distance from the monument.

The site of this roadside station also lies at the end of the runway of an airfield built during the war. Layers of different eras overlap even within this ranch landscape. When you visit the monument, please place your hands together quietly, in remembrance of those who died.

2. Lake Poro (ポロ沼)

Lake Poro is a lake in a wetland area in the east of Sarufutsu, close to the Sea of Okhotsk. It is part of Kita-Okhotsk Prefectural Natural Park, and many other lakes, such as Lake Kamuito and Lake Mokeuni, lie scattered nearby. The name “Poro” is an Ainu word meaning “large.”

The Sarufutsu plain around it is counted among the Ministry of the Environment’s “500 Important Wetlands of Japan.” The Sarufutsu River, Lake Kamuito and Lake Poro are all introduced as places for fishing Sakhalin taimen (イトウ). The taimen is a large freshwater fish living in Hokkaido and is a protected species, so fishing is subject to recreational angling rules.

The shores are valuable habitat for waterbirds and wetland plants. Wetlands take a long time to recover once trampled, so please do not enter places without a path, and simply watch quietly. This is a natural lake with no major development, so please enjoy the scenery in peace.

3. Lake Kamuito (カムイト沼)

Lake Kamuito lies about 3 kilometers north of the town center of Asajino. Its name comes from the Ainu words kamuy (god) and to (lake). It covers about 0.19 square kilometers, with a shoreline of about 2.3 kilometers and an average depth of around 3.5 meters. It is designated a special protection zone of Kita-Okhotsk Prefectural Natural Park.

The lake is known for the Tateyama marimo (タテヤママリモ) that live in it. Among fish, Sakhalin taimen are found here, and woods of alder and Sakhalin fir surround the lake. Nearby, communities of alpine plants such as Siberian iris and Goze-tachibana are also said to grow.

On the shore there is little more than a signboard and a parking area; it has not been heavily developed, and it remains a quiet place. The old track bed of the former JNR Tenpoku Line has been reborn as a cycling road, and some people come by bicycle. Please follow the rules so as not to harm wildlife or wetlands.

4. Lake Mokeuni and the Lake Mokeuni Wetland (モケウニ沼とモケウニ沼湿原)

Lake Mokeuni is a lagoon at the eastern edge of the Asajino Plateau, and its name is an Ainu word meaning “lake with dead trees.” Daiichi-numa lies to the south and a small lake to the northeast, both connected to Lake Mokeuni. On summer mornings it is sometimes wrapped in mist.

South of the lake spreads the Lake Mokeuni Wetland, about 375 hectares in area. To protect the wetland, boardwalks and walking paths for exploring it have been provided. In the low-lying marsh, more than 40 species of aquatic and wetland plants are found, and communities of reeds, bog mosses, cotton grass, Labrador tea (イソツツジ) and small cranberry form the landscape. Woods of Sakhalin spruce and alder lie around it.

To the north of the lake is said to be the Esanuka Wild Flower Garden (エサヌカ原生花園), where Lilium pensylvanicum, Hemerocallis and rugosa roses grow in clusters. Nearby is also Esanuka Line (エサヌカ線), known as a road that runs straight to the horizon. Please stay on the boardwalk and walk so as not to damage the wetland plants.

5. Site of Asajino Airfield (First Airfield) (浅茅野飛行場跡（第1飛行場）)

Asajino Airfield was a dedicated airfield built by the Army in the midst of the Pacific War, with the aim of defending against the Soviet Union and the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka. The First Airfield was built on a plateau straddling Asajino, at the southern end of Sarufutsu, and Hamatonbetsu Town, while the Second Airfield was built at Hamaonishibetsu, about 30 kilometers to the north. Construction began in 1942 and was completed in 1944, but the airfields were scarcely used before the war ended the following year.

Records say that the work mobilized not only local residents in labor service corps and students on labor duty but also prisoners from a prison. It is a historical fact that makes one think of the hardship of daily life and labor at that time. Most of the First Airfield site has become pasture, and only the former Tenpoku Line’s Hikojo-mae Station and the remains of aircraft shelters beside the runway are said to be identifiable.

Today the place spreads out quietly as peaceful grassland. As it is a site that tells of wartime history, please do not enter private land or ranches when you visit; consider the lives of the people around it, and view it quietly from the road.

Local Specialties, Food and Drink

Above all, Sarufutsu’s specialty is scallops. The area has long been known as a rich fishing ground, and its catch is still among the largest in Japan. A thorough commitment to protecting the resource, such as releasing young scallops and removing predators, supports the village’s industry. A distinctive feature is that the village has adopted a system in which fishery cooperative members share the proceeds equally.

Dairy farming is also active, and the raw milk produced on the ranches is an important product of the village. Dishes made with scallops and dairy products are one of the pleasures of a trip. Availability and offerings change easily, so please check the latest information before you go.

Rare Creatures and Nature

The east side of the village faces the Sea of Okhotsk, and the west side is hills and mountains. About 80 percent of the area is forest, and rivers such as the Sarufutsu, Onishibetsu and Chirai-betsu flow through it. On the Sarufutsu plain, lakes and wetlands such as Poro, Kamuito and Mokeuni lie in a chain.

At the Esanuka Wild Flower Garden, flowers such as Lilium pensylvanicum, Hemerocallis, rugosa roses and lingonberries are said to grow in clusters. On the Asajino Plateau, east of Lake Mokeuni, runs Esanuka Line, a road that extends almost in a straight line for about 16 kilometers. It is known for having almost no man-made structures on either side, and it is closed to traffic in winter.

The climate is subarctic, with heavy snowfall, and the village is designated a special heavy-snow area. In winter, there are days when the temperature drops below minus 20 degrees Celsius. Please beware of sudden changes in the weather and check winter road information.

Other Notable Things About This Village

The village’s name derives from the Ainu words Sar-put (“mouth of a river in a reed marsh”). From around the middle of the Edo period, fishing grounds were opened under the contract-fishery (basho ukeoi) system of the Matsumae domain. In 1924 it separated from Soya Village and became Sarufutsu Village under the second-class village system.

In 1934 a submarine cable was laid to Sakhalin, a relay station was placed at Hama-Sarufutsu, and telephone calls to Honshu became possible. After the war the village was worn down by the decline of coal mining and forestry, but it is said to have revived by taking up a project from 1971 to release young scallops.

In 1989 the Tenpoku Line was abolished, and the village lost its railway. The old track bed is now used as a cycling road. In July the Sarufutsu Tourism Festival is held.

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

So far we have followed the daytime face of Sarufutsu from north to south: the Wind-and-Snow Tower on the ranch, the monument mourning a shipwreck, lakes wrapped in mist, and the remains of a wartime airfield. In every one of these places lies the time of people who lived beside the Sea of Okhotsk.

As for a night side, we have not been able to confirm any ghost story or haunted-spot tale that can be pinpointed. The memorial for the shipwreck and the wartime remains are places to mourn the people who were lost. In our view, the quiet of this village at night seems to overlap with a silence toward that history. Please refrain from visiting at night out of mere curiosity.

On KARASU CHANNEL, we publish true ghost stories and haunted places not as a guide for going, but as a record. After learning 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 kind of village is Sarufutsu?

A. It is the northernmost village in Japan, facing the Sea of Okhotsk. It is the largest village in Hokkaido by area, and scallop fishing and dairy farming thrive.

Q. Where is the memorial monument for the Indigirka?

A. It stands in a corner of Michi-no-Eki Sarufutsu Park. It mourns the victims of the 1939 shipwreck, so please visit and place your hands together quietly.

Q. Can I drive Esanuka Line?

A. You can drive it in summer, but it is closed to traffic during winter. Please check the latest road information.

Official sites and references consulted
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/猿払村
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/浅茅野飛行場
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/モケウニ沼
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/カムイト沼
https://tabi-mag.jp/ho0635/
https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/spot/detail_11233.html
https://aumo.jp/leisure/areas/754