| From Tokyo: | 4 hr |
| From Sapporo: | 1-8 hr |
How to Get There
Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park is Japan’s northernmost national park and brims with colorful flowers and diverse natural landscapes. The park comprises two islands, Rishiri and Rebun, and the Wakasakanai Coast and Sarobetsu Plain on Hokkaido’s main island. A car is convenient for exploring Wakasakanai and Sarobetsu but leave it behind when you go to explore the islands.
From Tokyo
Make your way to Wakkanai to access the islands and the Wakasakanai and Sarobetsu areas of the park. Flying from Tokyo is the easiest way to get there. Two-hour flights depart from Haneda Airport to Wakkanai Airport, where you can ride the Soya Bus Airport Line to reach Wakkanai Port Ferry Terminal in 35 minutes. At the port, take a ferry bound for Rishiri Island’s Oshidomari Port (1 hr 40 min), or Rebun Islands’s Kafuka Port (1 hr 55 min). The port is also close to Wakkanai Station, where you can ride trains and buses to reach areas along the Wakasakanai Coast and in Sarobetsu Plain.
From Sapporo
From Sapporo, you can reach Wakkanai Station by train (5 hr 30 min), air (1 hr), or highway bus (6 hr). There is also a one-hour flight from Sapporo’s Okadama Airport to Rishiri Airport on Rishiri Island (plus some seasonal flights from New Chitose Airport). Although the flight itself can be a little pricey, it can save you a good deal of time and transport-related costs.
Getting Around
Renting a car for visiting the islands is expensive, costing around 20,000 yen each way to take one on the ferry. Instead, before your trip, study maps and timetables for information on the infrequent buses (only available in Japanese as of November 2019). An easier alternative is to book a bus tour—an option preferred by many domestic tourists. Bus “courses” can be booked from the Soya Bus Company, which has a limited English-language website. You can also explore the islands via a bicycle rented at one of the rental stores. Renting a car is a good idea for exploring Wakasakanai Coast and Sarobetsu Plain, although some attractive spots can be accessed by train and/or bus.