Japan. Hokkaido. August 2024. Part 3. Rebun Island. Capes and Beaches Walk.
Suy unukaran ro! - “Good bye” (in Ainu), my Happy Island.
I am continuing my notes on August trip to the City of Wakkanai and Rebun Island in Hokkaido. This is the final part.
Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.
Now more or less familiar with the southern part of Rebun I am moving north. There is a Cape Walk there from which I deviated a bit, making it a “Cape and Beaches Walk”. Well, I have a rule to swim in any new location, water cleanliness permitting.
By the way here is a good link to download the map of all trails on the island. You normally can get it also at the information desk inside the ferry terminal.
So, my route for this walk. Bus from hotel to Cape Sukoton - Gorota Beach (swim) - Gorota Cape (climb) - Funadomari Bay (swim again) - bus back. Simple.
I mapped this as if I am walking all the way, and actually it is possible to walk at least one way from Kafuka Port towards Cape Sukoton, explore around the capes, plunge into water and return by bus or stay at a few accommodations available in the northern part of the island. Just chewing on some ideas for the future trips.
So, back to the hike. I took an early bus to Cape Sukoton from a bus stop near my hotel. Buses are not so frequent, so planning is important here, especially for return. Staff at Kafuka Port tourist information desk can give you some help if you can not read Japanese. They can also provide printed bus schedules in English which do not list all stops, but good enough. Somehow on Rebun in many cases I could not view the bus routes on Google Map.
Bus ride is very pleasant journey by itself here, all along the Sea of Japan. And while on the bus you can see that walking all the way to Sukoton is possible, although in some sections the pedestrian paths do not exist, so you will need to stay close to the main road. But don’t worry, those are not busy roads.
Tip: If you are riding from Kafuka port area, and planning to return by bus also, it is cheaper to use day pass (2000 JPY at the time of writing). Just tell driver “ichi-nichi pasu” and hand over 2,000. Take the seat on the right when going to Sukoton to have a “seaview”.
Cape Sukoton. The name does not sound Japanese. I learnt in Rebun that around 70% of geographical names here derive from the Ainu language, the language of the indigenous people of Hokkaido. Actually, the language is classified as Critically Endangered by UNESCO, and luckily we are seeing some efforts from the government to revive it.
“Irankarapte”, - “Nice to meet you”. This is ainu language, the sound bringing up the childhood memories of the books by James Fenimore Cooper. As a kid I read all of them, often mentally riding together with my American Indian friends on their faithful horses.
Back to Japan. Cape Sukoton is the northernmost point of the island. The variation of the picture below you can see on many websites and blogs depicting Rebun.
I gaze at the unseen Sakhalin of Russia and clearly visible Todojima (Todo Island) where you can possibly spot the seals (people say more chance diring the autumn).
Now, how to get to the Cape Trail? I don’t see any sign. “Just go back, then turn right, there will be a sign”, - a smiling shop assistant (there is a souvenir shop at Sukoton) is pointing her thumb backwards. “Got it”. I soon find the sign whilst walking on the road facing Cape Kaneda (Kanedamisaki) faraway. Another place where seals congregate. I turn right following Cape Course sign.
Soon there will be another sign. Choices, choices… Both roads will take you to Cape Gorota, but the one saying “Awabikotan” is better, allowing to walk along the water.
Here I chat for a while with a colorfully clad motorbike rider. It turned out he hails from Bulgaria, lives in Tokyo and is exploring Rebun on motorbike. Well, he can’t go places I can on foot, and it is not easily possible for me to go places he can. We exchanged the tips and parted the ways. “Vrooom-vroom”, a cloud of smoke and a good-bye wave.
Very soon I can see Cape Gorota more clearly.
I am not much into flowers, but across the island I have been seeing a lot of what I assume to be a tree wormwood. It is one tough evergreen shrub: tolerates moderate frost as well as dry terrain, also you can rub it to your skin to repel mosquitoes. Could not test, as probably too cold for mosquitoes. Guess this shrub is also good as a backyard plant for the same purpose!
Back to the trail. Ahead is 176 m climb to Gorota Cape. Picturesque enough to ignore the effort. Which is not too hard anyway.
Small effort, great view!
Next, I am descending towards Gorota Beach.
Not too difficult again. I am now thirsty… for a swim!
Nearly 3 hours on the road, time to cool down in the water. It is refreshing and clean. Few fishes strolled by looking surprised. “Another tourist”, I read the expression on their half open rubbery lips. Guess not many people swim here.
Not far from the beach I discover a small settlement called Teppu. I wonder how it is living here. You are in a remote area of already a very remote island…
If I follow “the book”, the next destination on a promptly brochurized Cape Walk is Cape Sukai. But I decided not to climb to Sukai and instead explore Funadomari village and adjacent beaches.
The decision takes me to the main road towards the “civilization”.
On the way I pass Lake Kushu. There is actually a short walk around the lake also.
Funadomari village is small. There is a hotel, a van selling chicken skewers, a small supermarket and a couple of cafes.
Nothing much to do, so my obvious choice is a nearby beach. The sand here is whiter, the water is crystal clear and feels a bit colder than in Gorota.
My Rebun trip has come to the end. I feel different because the place is very much unlike my daily realm. Those blue waters and green hills are addictive, vast spaces without any human-made constructions are liberating, the people having chosen a simple life here are examples of unusual, tough, but somehow working well for the most life decisions.
“I am happy here”, tells me a small shop owner, his wife holding a baby standing nearby and her mother stocking the shelves.
Nothing more to wish,
Excellent! The swimming options are a definite plus.