> Walking on Rebun island
Access to the site: frequent ferry on peak season, plan carefully your departure time. Difficulty level: easy-medium. Path: very good conditions, easy to find, it's not likely you'll get lost! Departure point: Scoton Misaki. Arrival point: Kafukai. Duration: 6 to 8 hours, depending on weather. Landscape: very scenic: hills, mountains, sea, remote fisher village. What if it rains ?: It just get boring, but still feasible, except maybe on the quite steep way down to Anama Rocks Season: July and August. Weather can be very unstable though... Map: Yama-to-Kôgen (n°1), Shôbunsha: Shiretoko, Rishiri-tô and Rebun-tô. |
As for the first hikes described in this section, this first edition is still quite rough. I'll add a map as soon as I can.
Access
From Wakkanai, it is well deserved by ferry, especially during summer. Check
Higashi Nihon Ferry for details on schedule. There is basically ferries 4 to 5 times a day between Wakkanai and Rishiri-tô (1h40 - around 2000 yens); or
between Wakkanai and Rebun-tô(1h55 - around 2000 yens), and twice a day, a boat run between the two islands, both from Kutsugata and Oshidomari, to Kafuka
on Rebun island. The hikes described here goes from Scoton Misaki (Scoton Cape, North point of Rebun) to Kafukai (on the Western coast, not to confond with Kafuka, the island main city
and ferry terminal).
Food and water
There is conbinis or supermarket on the Island (well, at least in Kafuka and in the northern
town close to the camping ground). As usual, it should be wise to carry enough food for the whole hike. Though this hike is quite easy compared
to Hokkaidô standards, you should keep in mind that it takes time to complete it.
Once on Rebun-tô, you have to take a bus to get to departure point in the North part of the island (30 minutes - 800 yens, the bus stop is in the vicinity of the ferry terminal). Schedule
depends on the season, bet on one per hour during peak. It's easy to connect with the ferries, so as to optimize your time
on the island.
Camping facilities
There is one very good campsite (400 yens per person - see the photo below)
on the northern side of Rebun-tô, which is perfect if you plan to have an early departure from Scoton Cape the following day. There is also very nive views by sunset on the hill next to this camp: as the photo shows it, you can see Rishiri-zan from there! From the ferry terminal
it takes like 30 minutes to get there by bus (actually the bus pass by on his way to Scoton Cape). There is also a Youth Hostel down in the
island, near Kafuka. The staff is quite famous for their warm welcoming: if you visit Rebun in summer,
it's likely the staff will be waiting for you at the ferry terminal, shouting and waving some kind of Youth Hostel flag... You
cannot miss them! The price for a night is a standard one for Youth Hostel. The staff also arranges bus trip to the
8 hours trailhead at early morning, which is a definite plus for those who don't plan to camp.
The Hike
 |
Here is Scoton-misaki. Some people says it's actually the northernmost point of Japan, but it's not: Wakkanai's Soya-misaki is unbeatable! However, the toilet next to the cape are definetely Japan's northernmost Toilet, as it's written on top of it... The hike begins from here, it's consisting in following the coastal area down to the half of the island, and then to cross inland. Usually the first part of the hike is windy because of the sea and winds coming from Siberia. |
The beginning of the trail is next to the bus stop for Scoton-misaki. Just follow the left arrow and enjoy the view. You might wonder why there is rwo arrows... Well it's because you can do the hike in both sense, from North till South and from South till North. But most people enjoy the first one. |
 |
 |
The good thing with this hike is that you cannot really loose yourself, mainly due to the path. However, in case of a crowded day (don't worry though, Rebun island is not really a first priority destination for Japanese standards), you won't be able to pass people and you'll have to be patient... |
After the first climb of the day, you'll get down to this small bay and follow the coastal road. The question is: who lives there? |
 |
 |
I wanted to show you this photo because I wondered why it was written in Korean on it... Is it from the North part of Korea? I am maybe too imaginative... It's not likely you'll see anyone around, but this is at least a proof of human activity. |
The road goes over hills and far, far away. After two hours, you'll feel like everything is green, blue sea and blue sky. |
 |
 |
The path then goes through a tiny forest (be careful, it can be slippery and muddy at some places). Cedar and pine trees. Squirrel and all your happy tree friends will welcome you... However, the path then goes out and become rocky. |
This is maybe the most delicate part of the hike: for ten minutes the way goes down very steeply on scree to a place called Anama Rocks. There are some kind of stairs to help you. Eventually, you'll find it more tiring rather than difficult. |
 |
 |
If you had an early departure (let's say before 7 am), it should be around noon now, and this beach can be a very pleasant place for a lunch |
A strange and gloomy village... This is what awaits you for a digestive walk on the beach! The path will soon turn on the left to enter the center part of the island. |
 |
 |
This is pretty much the end of the hike. You'll soon arrive at an intersection (one hour after you left the coast side) when you'll have to choose to go on toward the East coast (Kafukai - 20 minutes) and catch a bus to get back to te ferry terminal, or to head on South side, going through forest so as to reach Kafuka (2 more hours), or the very southern point of Rebun (3 hours and 30 minutes), a place called Shiretoko (not to be mixed with Hokkaido's eastern peninsula) |
Once arrived at Kafukai and waiting for the bus to Kafuka (even if it is also possible to walk until there, though not that interesting), you could have a glance on local fishermens drying algae on the beach. The kind of thing that make you aware you are in Japan! |
 |
What is unforgettable on Rebun is its colors, green and blue. July should also provide a bunch of flowers along the path, don't miss them! I wonder what this hike would be like in winter, with snow covering the whole island...
 |