Wakkanai

View over Wakkanai from the city park

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.

Understand

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

Wakkanai
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       98     −3 −8       68     −3 −8       54     1 −4       55     7 2       71     12 6       65     16 10       93     20 14       112     22 17       126     19 14       130     13 8       128     6 1       123     0 −4 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm Average temperatures of Wakkanai
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       3.9     27 18       2.7     27 18       2.1     34 25       2.2     45 36       2.8     54 43       2.6     61 50       3.7     68 57       4.4     72 63       5     66 57       5.1     55 46       5     43 34       4.8     32 25 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

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.)

Get in

By plane

• 1 Wakkanai Airport (WKJ  ^IATA) (10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of the city). It fields regular flights from Sapporo and Tokyo (Haneda), with additional summer-only services from Nagoya and Kansai. All flights to the airport are operated by ANA - All Nippon Airways. The airport is 20 minutes away from Wakkanai station by bus.  

The refurbished Wakkanai Station has a marker designating the northernmost point in Japan's railway network

By train

The JR Soya Main Line (Soya Honsen) connects Wakkanai to Asahikawa. There are two stations within the city limits: 2 Wakkanai (station code W80) and 3 Minami-Wakkanai (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.

Eins Soya - the ferry servicing the Korsakov-Wakkanai route, in Wakkanai harbor

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, ☏ +81 011 241-0241 (Sapporo) or ☏ +81 0162 22-3114 (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.

Thanks to the influx of Russian autodealers and fishermen, many signs are in Russian

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

Understand? Wakkanai sounds like wakannai, which happens to mean "I don't understand" or "I don't know" in colloquial Japanese (or wakaranai in standard Japanese). You can thus expect to get some ribbing if you answer questions like "Where are you?" with "Wakkanai"!

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

• 1 Wakkanai Kōen (稚内公園). is a large park spreading over the grassy hills west of the town, offering some commanding views over the area. The rope-way has been closed, but it is only a short walk to the top beginning at the Hokumon Shrine (北門神社). There are some nice walking trails to explore, and over 4,000 wild cherry trees grow in the park if you are here during Hanami (mid-May). To get an even better view you can ascend the 70-m-high Motoe Hiraku Centennial Memorial Tower (開基百年記念塔・北方記念館) 09:00-17:00 (Jul-Sep until 21:00) for a 360° panoramic view of the cape, the expansive Sarobetsu Plain, the Rishiri Volcano and even sometimes to Sakhalin in Russia. Below is the two-story Northern Memorial Hall, which has a collection of documents relating to the local area and Sakhalin. In the weird, small Ice House (ゲストハウス氷雪) you can take a footbath in ice, if that tickles your fancy. (updated Jan 2020)

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

Northernmost Point Monument

• 2 Sōya Misaki (宗谷岬) (about 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Wakkanai across the Soya Bay). This is the northernmost point of Hokkaido, and aside from a small inaccessible and uninhabited island it is also the northernmost point of Japan. Naturally the Japanese have gone out of their way to commemorate this fact with the largely uninspiring Northernmost Point Monument (日本最北端の地の碑), a gray concrete triangle engraved with accomplishments. Right next to it is a Statue of Mamiya Rinzō (間宮林蔵の銅像), a Japanese explorer from the Edo period famous for his explorations and mapping of Karafuto (Sakhalin), and discovering it was an island. Nearby you also find an Old Naval Watchtower (旧海軍望楼) dating back to the conflicts over control of Sakhalin during the 1904 Russo-Japanese War. (updated Jan 2020)

• 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

• 3 Breakwater Dome (港北防波堤ドーム), 1-1 Kaiun (開運1丁目1) (North Wharf, 5 min from the station north along the harbor). Built in the 1930s, this odd-looking breakwater is a 427-m (1,401-ft) arched hallway supported by 70 Roman-style pillars. It rises over 13 m up in the air to provide some protection for the strong winds in the area. It looks entirely out of place, but makes for some good photographs. In the summer months (Jul-Aug) it's sometimes converted to a lively market with BBQ and karaoke. Free.  

Wakkanai's symbol; The Breakwater dome

• Daisuke Matsuzaka Museum (松坂大輔スタジアム), 1-6-33 Wakkanai Port (稚内市港1丁目6-33) (15-min walk south of the station, along route 40), ☏ +81 162 23-5518. 10:00-17:00. A museum dedicated to the city's most famous offspring, Matsuzaka Daisuke, starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox - baseball is huge in Japan, as this museum is a testament to. Videos, photos and other memorabilia. If you are not a fan, the interactive "Fastball LIVE" is probably the most interesting part, experience how it's like to have a 156 km/h ball thrown right at you. ¥200. 
• 4 Bakkai Port Seal Observatory (抜海港 ゴマフアザラシの越冬), Bakkai fishing port (抜海港) (take the local train 2 stations S to the Bakkai halt (抜海駅, W78), and walk from there (15–20 min)). Feb, Nov-Mar: 09:00-16:00. About 300 seals have decided that the concrete boulders of this small fishing port was a good home. Surprisingly, they seem to get along fine with the fishermen. The city administration has put up a small rudimentary observation hut with windows and a video feed, so the many guests now pouring in don't disturb the seals. Self-service tea is provided free of charge, nice touch. Free. (updated Feb 2023)
• Lake Ōnuma Bird Observatory (大沼バードハウス), Koetoi Village (声問原野) (E of town, halfway to the airport along the Soya National Hwy, turn right at the intersection after Koetoi Postoffice. The JR bus towards the airport stops in Koetoi), ☏ +81 162 26-2965. Feb, Mar-Nov 09:00-17:00. Lake Onuma, a small lake east of the city, is a migratory stop for the Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) on their way to or from Siberia, sometimes numbering tens of thousands. There is a Swan Festival (大沼白鳥まつり) held here in May. Other species that can be observed here include Herons and White-fronted Geese. The city has set up a log cabin with a large platform, an observation room and a small exhibition, and there are a free telescope and binoculars available to loan. Sometimes nature guides are present to answer questions, if you speak Japanese. 
• 5 Noshappu Cold Water Aquarium (稚内市立ノシャップ寒流水族館), 2-2-17 Noshappu (ノシャップ 2丁目2-17) (take the Soya bus from the station about 15 min N to the 'Noshappu 2-chome' stop), ☏ +81 162 23-6278. Apr-Oct 09:00-17:00, Nov-Mar 10:00-16:00. Next to the Science Center. Fittingly for Japan's northernmost aquarium, it's centered around 2 large outdoor tanks with seals and penguins. The indoor area is rather smallish with the two main tanks containing species from the oceans south and north ecosystems respectively - the balloon fish is kawaii! Feeding shows twice per day in the outdoor pools. ¥400. 
• 6 Wakkanai Youth Science Center (稚内市青少年科学館), 2-2-16 Noshappu (ノシャップ2丁目2-16) (same route as to the Noshappu Cold Water Aquarium), ☏ +81 162 22-5100. Apr-Oct 09:00-17:00, Nov-Mar 10:00-16:00, closed on M. Inadvertently cute museum, it opened in 1974 - and it shows - since many of the exhibits are really retro. The science section set up to teach kids about the "latest" progress in science you can skip, it's out of date, and any kids won't understand the Japanese anyway. More interesting is the Arctic section with details of Japanese exploration of Sakhalin and the Arctic regions. A whole hall is dedicated to the famous (in Japan) Taro and Jiro (See the Wakkanai park entry). Also of some interest is the Planetarium with shows 2-3 times per day. ¥150 (¥50 for just the planetarium). 
• 7 Wakkanai Karafuto Museum, 1-6 Minato. 10:00-17:00. (updated Jan 2020)

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.

• 1 Komadori Ski Center (稚内市こまどりスキー場), 4-1-14 Komadori (こまどり4丁目1-14), ☏ +81 162-22-4564. Dec-late Mar 10:00-17:00 (sometimes night-skiing until 21:00). A small ski resort in the Wakkanai kōen makes use of the lift here - 3 relatively short runs with just 50 m elevation difference and the longest at 300 m (985 ft). ¥1000 per day. 
• Tokkari Snowmobile Rental (スノーモービルランドとっかり), Airport Park (空港公園), ☏ +81 162-26-2470. Feb-Mar 10:00-16:00. Naturally rents out snowmobiles. Also has a snowmobile course and offers free snowshoe walking. 2 laps for ¥1000. 

Onsen

• 2 Yamuwakkanai Onsen Minato-no-yu (ヤムワッカナイ温泉 港のゆ), 1-6-28 Wakkanai Port (稚内市港1丁目6-28) (10–15 min walk S of the railway station along the harbour), ☏ +81162731126. 10:00-22:00 daily. The most expensive and exclusive of the options, boasts some large open-air baths overlooking the sea. ¥1000. (updated Feb 2023)
• Suimukan Pool (温水プール水夢館), 1-2-3 Chuō (中央1丁目2-3) (in the harbour, a 5-min walk from the train stn towards the breakwater dome and the ANA hotel), ☏ +81 162-23-8100. May-Oct: Tu-F 10:00-18:00, Sa Su 10:00-21:00; Nov-Apr: Tu-Th 10:00-21:00, F 13:00-21:00, Su 10:00-18:00. Not so much an onsen, more of a traditional indoor swimming pool under an impressive double domed roof. A 25-m basin, waterslides, Jacuzzi and a gym. ¥800. 
• Wakkanai Onsen (稚内温泉), Fujimi (富士見4丁目1487番) (half an hour by bus (or around 7 km from the center) on the opposite side of the cape), ☏ +81 162-28-1160. The town's largest onsen sits on the west coast and would have had some impressive unobstructed views of Rishiri Mountain, were it not for a huge blunder from the architect, though it is still visible from parts of the bath. A few indoor pools, and some outdoor ones which are unfortunately fenced in by hedges. ¥600. 

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.

• Wakkanai Post Office (稚内郵便局), 2-15-12 Chuō (中央2丁目15-12) (from Wakkanai stn, continue straight ahead across the intersection (W), the post office is at the 2nd traffic lights), ☏ +81 162 23-4271. ATM: M-F 08:45–19:00, Sa Su 09:00–17:00, Post office M–F 09:00–19:00. 
• Wakkanai South Post Office (稚内南郵便局), 3-6-34 Daikoku (大黒3丁目6-34) (from the South Station turn south down Ororon line (route 106), and continue across the first traffic lights, ~500 m), ☏ +81 162 23-4271. ATM: M-F 09:00-17:30, Sa 09:00-12:30; Post Office: M-F 09:00-17:00. 

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.

• Wakkanai Port Market (稚内副港市場), 1-6-28 Wakkanai Port (稚内市港1丁目6-28), ☏ +81 162 29-0829. 08:00-20:00, some stalls until 23:00. Opened in 2007 this indoor market-mall hybrid, is lined with souvenir shops, food stores, restaurants - including a Russian one, izakayas, a small gallery that exhibits the history of Wakkanai and an Onsen (see do section). 

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.

• Densuke (でんすけ), 2-8-7 Daikoku (大黒2丁目8-7) (across from Minami-Wakkanai stn, near the Grand Hotel), ☏ +81 162 22-4411. Nice place dishing up homey seafood, quirky decoration with wooden figures and Buddha watching over you so you don't choke on the fish bones. 
• Irohanihoheto (いろはにほへと), 1-6-28 Wakkanai Port (稚内市港1丁目6-28) (in the Minato-market, south along the harbour), ☏ +81 162 0162-24-6061. 11:00-23:00. Part of a national chain, but it's actually quite nice, and the menu has pictures of nearly all the items. A good place if you are fed up with seafood. Western fare with a Japanese twist. ¥700–2500. 
• Kamui (カムイ), Daikoku (大黒2丁目2-22), ☏ +81 162 22-0070. 17:00-23:00. Some nice casseroles and pots here with both seafood and meat, as well as a la carte fish and beef. ¥400–1600, some seafood up to ¥4000. 

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.

• BB Music Club, Daikoku 2-9-18 Marufuku Bd. 2F(大黒2-9-18マルフクビル2F) (from Minami Wakkanai station, take a right and follow the road to the end; BB Music is at the end of the street, on the right). 20:00-03:00. A small bar and live music venue with a quirky design. The drinks are nothing special, but the staff are friendly and you can chance into performances by local musicians, including the owners. 

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.

Budget

• Wakkanai Youth Hostel (稚内ユースホステル), 3-9-1 Komadori (こまどり3丁目9-1) (from Minami stn head S, make a R across the tracks and follow the road until the end of the school and turn L), ☏ +81 162 23-7162, komadori@gray.plala.or.jp. Up on a hill with views over the city, nice big bathtub to splash in, and has some private western and Japanese style rooms (¥4200). Coin laundry. Really nice and homey feel but it's far from the ferry terminal. YIH members ¥2100, non-members ¥3360. (updated Jun 2023)

Mid-range

• Dormy Inn Wakkanai (ドーミーイン稚内), 2-7-13 Chuō (中央2丁目7-13) (continue straight ahead (W) across the traffic lights and make a R at the first intersection), ☏ +81 162 24-5489, in-wakkanai@dormy-hotels.com. Fairly large business hotel, which has a nice spa on the top floor, both indoors and outdoors with views over Wakkanai, which are free for guests. Small rooms, but no smaller than usual in Japan, and a great breakfast buffet. ¥4000–14,000, varies widely with the season. 
• 1 Wakkanai Grand Hotel (稚内グランドホテル), 2-13-11 Daikoku (大黒2丁目13−11) (1 min walk S of Minami-Wakkanai stn), ☏ +81 162 22-4141, wakkanai-grandhotel@s8.dion.ne.jp. Definitely not a pretty hotel, but a large section has been refurbished so it's not so bad on the inside. The hotel's private spa is nice, and they have a large restaurant and bar as well. ¥5500–9000. (updated Jun 2023)

Wakkanai at night. The large ANA hotel is the tall building next to the breakwater dome on the left

Splurge

• 2 Surfeel Hotel Wakkanai (サフィールホテル稚内), 1-2-2 Kaiun (開運1丁目2-2) (walk N for 2 min, hard to miss, it's the tallest building in town), ☏ +81 162 23-8111. The most upscale hotel in town, and also the most expensive. But you pay for the very good facilities and common areas, not the rooms which are fairly standard, although some with nice views over the sea or Wakkanai koen. The main restaurant is very good, and so is the complementary breakfast. ¥14,000–25,000. 

Cope

There is also a small hospital with an emergency room.

• Wakkanai Municipal Hospital (市立稚内病院), 4-11-6 Chuō (中央4丁目11-6), ☏ +81 162 23-2771. Normal consultations: 08:30-23:00. 

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

Routes through Wakkanai

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