Wakkanai



Wakkanai (稚内) is the northernmost city in Japan. It has a population of about 34,000 (2019), and is in the subdistrict of Soya in northern Hokkaido. It is Japan's gateway to Russia's Sakhalin Island.

History
The city was established in the 17th century as a frontier trading post to the aboriginal Ainu people who used to inhabit much of Hokkaido. It prospered through trade and as a strategic outpost in the far flung northern reaches of the empire, in the century that followed. The modern city was established in 1900, and when Japan recaptured parts of Sakhalin Island after the Russo-Japanese war of 1905, it became the main transit point to the Karafuto prefecture established there with regular steam-liner operations to Otomari (today Korsakov), a status that only increased when the Sōya railway was finally extended here in 1926. With the loss of Sakhalin in the aftermath of World War II, the town's fortunes faded; it reverted to being little more than a military post during the Cold War, home to some American troops.

While the population is still dwindling, the end of the Cold War might change Wakkanai's fortunes once more: a regular ferry route to Sakhalin was reopened in the 1990s, and trade and ties with Russia are slowly but steadily increasing.

Climate
The average summer temperature is around 20°C (68°F), but it can get cold at night, so you may need to bring more than a summer jacket. In the depths of winter the thermometer frequently drops below zero, but the −20°C (-4°F) you see inland or across the Okhotsk bay in Russia are extreme occurrences here, as the air is heated by sea currents. The very strong winds can make it feel like Siberia, though.

Tourist information site

 * The city government's official site has a good Japanese-only tourism section.


 * The local tourist associations has a Japanese-only guide site, covering Rishri and Rebun islands too. (Clicking on "languages" lead to the prefecture's multilingual site.)

By plane




By train
The JR Soya Main Line (Soya Honsen) connects Wakkanai to Asahikawa. There are two stations within the city limits: (station code W80) and (W79) to the south.

Wakkanai sees limited train service, with only six arrivals and seven departures per day. Of these, three round-trips are limited express services: The once-daily Soya which runs directly to and from Sapporo (5 hr 10 min, ¥10,450), and the twice-daily Sarobetsu to and from Asahikawa (3 hr 45 min, ¥8,300, change to either a Lilac or Kamui limited express service at Asahikawa for Sapporo). There are no extra charges for these trains with the Japan Rail Pass and / or Hokkaido Rail Pass.



By bus
Several buses operated by Soya Bus run between Wakkanai and Sapporo daily: the journey takes around 6 hours and costs ¥6000, advance ticket purchase or reservation is (at least in theory) necessary, (Sapporo) or  (Wakkanai) to make your reservation. One of the departures is a red-eye service, which might be a useful way to save some money if you're one of those who can sleep anywhere. There is also a single daily round trip to Asahikawa. While this is a cheap and convenient option in summer, during the winter suspension or delays are commonplace, and snowstorms frequently close the highway altogether.

By boat
The ferry terminal, directly east of the train station, hosts frequent (in summer) connections to the National Park islands of Rebun and Rishiri; there are also a few shops and restaurants and a tourist information desk in the building.

All ferries out of Wakkanai are operated by the Heartland Ferry Company.

International ferries
Right across from the domestic terminal is the international terminal. Heartland Ferry has biweekly departures for Korsakov, on Sakhalin Island, Russia (5½ hours, ¥24,000 one way). You will need a Russian visa before you buy the ticket. You must also buy your ticket at least two days prior to departure: you will not be allowed to purchase a ticket the day of departure. Service is suspended Oct–Apr due to sea ice. See our Russia to Japan via Sakhalin itinerary.

To purchase a seat on the ferry to Russia:
 * 1) Go to the domestic terminal, across the street from the international terminal.
 * 2) Ask at the front desk for an English speaker, there may be someone. To be sure of being understood, have Sakhalin written in as many ways as possible: 樺太 (kanji), からふと (hiragana), サハリン (katakana), Сахалин (Russian).
 * 3) Ask for a ticket to Russia, point at your multi-lingual piece of paper, and give them your passport. You will fill out a form which will be sent to their offices in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Then you just come back two days later to pick up your ticket. (While it may be possible to do the preliminary paperwork over the phone or by e-mail, don't count on it!)

Alternatively, have a Japanese speaker call and ask for availability. You will then fill out and fax an application form to 011-233-2783 or 0162-23-6730. They will then fax back a confirmation form, which is in Japanese and English.

Get around
Since the town is fairly compact, with most sights within 10–15 minutes of each other, you can easily walk through town. There is a city bus with departures every 10–15 minutes operated by Soya Bus, and it is also possible to walk to Cape Noshappu: it's about 4 km (2.5 mi), which should take you around 40–50 minutes. For sights further afield like Cape Soya, there are about 4 buses per day going there, but be careful not to miss the last bus, as there is no other way of getting back other than to walk the 30 km (19 mi)!

See
While there are plenty of attractions on paper, few of them are really that interesting, and hardly anything is worth going out of your way to see. But since Wakkanai is en route to the fascinating Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park which is worth travelling for, you might want to check out the following sights, which will fill out a day or two if you are in the area waiting for a ferry. Ryuhyo (流氷, floating ice) is of some interest in winter, and occurs either in February or March. It is ice that drifts in from the sea. If you need to kill time waiting at the airport, the nearby Meguma Wilderness Garden (メグマ原生花園) is an option in spring when 300 different flowers are in bloom.

Wakkanai Park



 * The park also has an eclectic collection of statues and monuments - none of them are particularly pretty, but they sometimes come with interesting stories: the Statue of Nine Women (九人の乙女の碑) is a memorial to the 9 women working at a Sakhalin telegraph station who committed suicide when they learned about the fall of Karafuto (Sakhalin) to Russian troops. Less dramatic is the Ice and Snow Gate (氷雪の門), a bronze statue of a woman facing the direction of Karafuto, longing for the home she was forced to leave behind. Without the nationalistic undertones is the Monument to Taro and Jiro (南極観測樺太犬記念碑), two Siberian huskies that an Antarctic expedition was forced to leave behind. When their trainer returned with another expedition the following year to bury his beloved dogs, much to everyone's surprise he was warmly greeted by the two dogs, who had survived a whole Antarctic winter. There are some more details of their story in the Youth Science Center, and their story is detailed in the 1983 film Nankyoku Monogatari.

Cape Soya



 * In the hills behind the cape near the lighthouse, there are several additional monuments. The Tower of Prayer (大韓航空機撃墜事件の慰霊塔) is a memorial to those who lost their lives when Soviet fighters shot down Korean Air flight KL007 over Moneron Island in 1983. Fittingly right next to it, you find the Bell for World Peace (世界平和の鐘) a replica of a bell located in the garden opposite the United Nations Building in New York.
 * There is also the Wahoo Peace Memorial dedicated to the 1943 sinking of the famous American submarine USS Wahoo off the coast by Japanese air and sea forces. The memorial commemorates the Wahoo's crew who was entirely lost and to the Japanese who lost their lives as a result of her attacks.

Other attractions






Do
Try biking north along the coast to see the dozens of small seaweed drying family operations to know where the seaweed in your food comes from. At the northern tip a nice lighthouse and an excellent aquarium await you - with great views of Government radars on green hills - and the islands of Rishiri and Rebun and occasionally Sahkalin are visible. The Moshiripa Youth Hostel rents out bikes at ¥200 per hour or ¥1000 for the day, and also have some slightly more expensive mountain bikes. There are also two golf courses out on the countryside.



Events and festivals

 * Hokumon Shrine Festival (北門神社例大祭, Hokumon Jinja Reitaisai)

Buy
The only ATMs in town that take international credit cards are at the post offices: no Citibanks or 7-Elevens here.



Most of what you would want to buy here is seafood omiyages, readily available, but if don't follow this Japanese tradition, there really isn't much shopping of any interest.



Eat
Wakkanai is known for its variety of seafood. The catching and selling sea-dwelling creatures (fish, crab, octopus, etc.) and the drying of seaweed may be considered the industry in Wakkanai. Some of the best restaurants are the local ones located around Minami-Wakkanai station. If it's all just too much to cope with there is also a McDonald's.



Drink
The night life of Wakkanai is hardly the most happening in the world. For a regular bar visit some of the large hotels; the ANA and Wakkanai Grand hotels have some decent ones. Many of the restaurants listed above also serve alcohol, commonly izakaya style, so that can be an option if you're in a group. There are also izakayas (居酒屋) along the central street (Nakadori, 仲通り) and in the south along Oranjidori (オレンジ通り) — none of them really stand out, so just pick one and hope for the best.

Sleep
There are three large hotels in Wakkanai: the ANA hotel, the Wakkanai Sun Hotel and the Dormy Inn. They are all quite pricey, however. Expect ¥8000 for a single room and ¥16,000 for a double. One can wonder why a small town with 40,000 inhabitants needs a great luxury hotel like the ANA hotel. The answer is probably an influx of tourists. All directions given below assume you're starting at the main railway station.

Mid-range




Cope
There is also a small hospital with an emergency room.



Go next

 * Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park — Japan's northernmost national park.
 * Fascinating Sakhalin, Russia is just a short ferry ride away, but visas are complicated. Also refer to Russia to Japan via Sakhalin
 * Toyotomi
 * Sarufutsu
 * Horonobe
 * Hamatonbetsu
 * Nakatonbetsu
 * Teshio
 * Nakagawa