Hinata's Summer in Hokkaido #1/5 - Shiretoko National Park

(This post is Part 1 of 5, Hinata's Summer in Hokkaido, August 2013)

Hinata at Shiretoko Five Lakes, Shiretoko National Park, Hokkaido

In the summer of 2013, Hubby and I took Hinata Cinnamon (日向・シナモン) with us to Hokkaido, Japan. It was Hinata's first time in Hokkaido, but not our first. Hokkaido is a pretty big prefecture. In fact, it is Japan's largest prefecture and is one of Japan's 4 main islands.

Cape Shiretoko and the Sea of Okhotsk, Shiretoko Peninsula

For the first leg of the journey, we went to Shiretoko National Park (知床国立公園) at the Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島) in northeastern Hokkaido.

According to JNTO's Official Guide, Shiretoko is supposedly the last unexplored region of Japan. Not difficult to believe considering the geography and vegetation of the area - steep mountains, virgin forests. Shiretoko National Park is claimed as one of Japan's most beautiful and unspoiled national parks. (One of the others is Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園) in central Hokkaido, which I hope to visit some day.)

Hinata at Cape Shiretoko

The name of Shiretoko originated from the Ainu word "sir etok" ("the end of the Earth"). Many of the names of places in Hokkaido are derived from the Ainu language and its related varieties - the language spoken by the Ainu peoples (also called Ezo or Emishi), the indigenous peoples of Hokkaido, parts of northeastern Honshu, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.

Kitsune!

Shiretoko is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for being the southernmost point in the Northern Hemisphere at which drift ice forms, and for its ecosystem and biodiversity.

It is also home to a variety of native Japanese wildlife, especially brown bears, deer and foxes. Like this kitsune-san that parked itself on the road. I love foxes! They are めっちゃ可愛い! But yes, foxes are wild animals and can be dangerous and can attack human beings. Had to admire kitsune-san from the safe confines of the car. Anime like Wagaya no Oinari-sama (我が家のお稲荷さま。) and Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha (いなり、こんこん、恋いろは。) don't help me fight the urge to cuddle one!

Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

A line of volcanoes run down the Shiretoko Peninsula from the tip, e.g. Mt Shiretoko, Mt Unabetsu, Mt Io (or, Mt Iwo), Mt Rausu, Mr Shari, etc. These volcanoes form part of the Chishima volcanic zone.

Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

The Chishima volcanic zone includes the Kuril Islands (クリル列島) or Chishima Islands (千島列島), and is part of the Ring of Fire.

According to the JNTO Official Guide, Shiretoko is also known a "waterfall kingdom" due to the many waterfalls that can be seen from sightseeing boats. We went on one such sightseeing cruise along the western side of the peninsula, and we did see several waterfalls. I didn't photograph all the waterfalls seen, just these major ones. There really are numerous waterfalls around the area - many of them are not particular major tourist sights per se, and many of them accessible only boat, and some not at all.

Furepe Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

Furepe Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

One of the more well-known waterfalls we saw was Furepe Falls (フレペの滝), apparently also called "Maiden's Tears" (乙女の涙; otome no namida) by the Japanese due to its resemblance to delicate, flowing tears.

Furepe Falls at Shiretoko Peninsula, seen from the nature trail.

The top of Furepe Falls can also be seen from land. We took the walking path from the Shiretoko Nature Centre, and were rewarded with lovely views of the Cape, coastal views, the Sea of Okhotsk and, of course, a view of Furepe Falls. It's not possible to get up-close to Furepe Falls though.

Furepe Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula

The water of Furepe Falls comes from the snow and rain that falls on the Shiretoko mountains and seeps (percolates) through cracks and porous rock, and flows out of cracks in the cliff face into the Sea of Okhotsk.

Kamuiwakkayu Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula

The other well known waterfall we saw from the boat was Kamuiwakkayu Falls (カムイワッカ湯の滝 or カムイワッカの滝). In the Ainu language, the name of this waterfall means "river of the gods".

Kamuiwakkayu Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula

Kamuiwakkayu Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula

It is a rotenburo waterfall, i.e. a natural hot spring waterfall. Heated by the Mt Shiretoko-Io (an active volcano), the spring waters flow and form the Kamuiwakka River, which then flows over the cliff face into the Sea of Okhotsk.

Io Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

Kashuni Falls, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

From the boat, we also saw Io Falls (硫黄の滝), which is reputed to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Shiretoko Peninsula, particularly in autumn.

Sulphur deposits, Shiretoko Peninsula.

Kashuni Falls (カシュニの滝) was another well known and lovely waterfall we saw. Kashuni falls directly over a large cave. In Ainu language, the name "kashuni" means "place of a temporary hut", apparently because Ainu people used to stay overnight in the cave when they traveled between Utoro and the Cape.

There were other waterfalls which I simply cannot remember or don't know the name of. (And the guide spoke Japanese.) But what struck me was sulphur deposits left on the cliff face at some of these falls, evidencing the fact that these are thermal hot spring waters that seep through cracks in the rock and out into the sea.

Sadly, we didn't make it to the tip of the Cape due to strong winds and rough sea, and had to round back.

Hinata at Oshinkoshin Falls

So, as I was saying about Shiretoko being a "waterfall kingdom" with many waterfalls.... There was one we could see up-close from land: Oshinkoshin Falls (オシンコシンの滝), designated as one of Japan's best 100 waterfalls. Apparently Oshinkoshin Falls is known as the Twin Beauties because the falls divide into two as it gushes down.

Oshinkoshin Falls

Shiretoko also has several beautiful lakes, like Lake Rausu (which we didn't go to). Better known in the Shiretoko region is the Shiretoko Five Lakes (知床五湖), a set of 5 small lakes formed by the eruption of Mount Io and fed by underground springs.

View of the First Lake (Ichi-ko) at Shiretoko Five Lakes

Boardwalk around the First Lake (Ichi-ko), Shiretoko Five Lakes

Hinata loves the view over the First Lake (Ichi-ko) at Shiretoko Five Lakes.

A wooden elevated boardwalk goes around the First Lake. From the boardwalk, we could enjoy views of the First Lake, the Sea of Okhotsk and the surrounding mountains.

Shiretoko Five Lakes, Shiretoko National Park

The 'floor' beneath the elevated boardwalk is a sea of Veitch's bamboo! Hinata spotted this sunken oasis of wind-swept grass and a 'water hole' in it and told me she rather liked the look of it.

Shiretoko Five Lakes, Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko Five Lakes, Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko Five Lakes, Shiretoko National Park

As the elevated boardwalk only goes around the First Lake, we went on the 3-km nature trail instead, so we could see all 5 lakes. One of the best views is around the Third Lake (I think). As it was summer, we had to attend a bear awareness lecture, and take precautions against roaming bears during the hike. (Shiretoko is home to Japan's largest brown bear (ヒグマ) population and they are most active during the summer months in June and July.)

I should've kept better records of which lake was which... you kind of forget after a while.

Hiking trail around Shiretoko Five Lakes

We also took the nature trail that went around the Shiretoko Cape area.

Grilled King Crab at Ryoshi no Mise Kaniya, Shiretoko[]

それで, お昼は? Well, when in Hokkaido, eat king crab (鱈場蟹)! At Ryoshi no Mise Kaniya (漁師の店 かにや), our 1.9ish-kg King Crab was grilled in the shell and came up to JPY11,000 (about USD100).

Hinata at Shiretoko National Park

Some creek we passed and where we decided to sit down and cool our feet a little....

Whelk kakiage soba and chirashi-don at Shiretoko Satoaji.

For dinner, we went to Shiretoko Satoaji (しれとこ 里味), a local favourite whose signatures are the soba, handmade with local buckwheat and spring water; the whelk kakiage; and of course the local seafood - fresh and decently priced.

I have never been a whelk fan. But I think the kakiage changed my mind - a combi of julienned whelk and vegetables, evenly coated with crisp and airy tenpura batter and beautifully fried. I still think it will probably be the only form that I ever eat whelks...

A new friend, Kitsune-san, that she met at Oshinkoshin Falls.

Tsukareta!!!

That about ends the Shiretoko leg of our Hokkaido journey. Hinata is pretty tired from the hardcore trekking! But she is really happy on this trip, and really excited to get to our next destination.

Hinata's Summer in Hokkaido (August 2013)
- I. Shiretoko
- II. Akan National Park
- III. Kushiro
- IV. Furano & Biei
- V. Asahikawa, Otaru & Hokuryu