【日本最北の離島】大阪→利尻島＆礼文島 3泊4日フェリー旅

【日本最北の離島】大阪→利尻島＆礼文島 3泊4日フェリー旅

Let’s go to Japan’s northernmost islands! It is a 1,800 km trip from Osaka. The islands were like a different world. Hello! This is Namba Station in Osaka. I am now heading for Rishiri Island and Rebun Island. First, I’ll take a connecting bus to Maizuru Port. It’s a 5-minute walk from Namba Station to Osaka City Air Terminal. Numerous buses depart from here to various destinations throughout Japan. There are shops and restaurants inside the terminal. The bus stop is on the second floor. The bus to Maizuru departs at 8:30 p.m. It takes 2 hours and 20 minutes and costs $18. The bus may be full, so be sure to make a reservation in advance. Let’s take a look at the route from Maizuru. Take a ferry from Maizuru to Otaru. And take the train and bus from Otaru to Wakkanai. Take again a ferry to Rebun Island and then to Rishiri Island. We have arrived at Maizuru Port. This is the ferry terminal for Otaru. Let’s take a look at the ship. “Acacia” This ship was built in 2003 and is 224.8 meters long. Passengers are already boarding. If you book online, you don’t need to go to the ticket window. The shop on the 1st floor closes at 10:00 p.m. Children’s artworks are displayed on the stairs. Most passengers seem to have already boarded. Proceed from the boarding gate on the third floor to the boarding bridge. The boarding bridge connects to the ship’s side deck. Proceed along the side deck to reach the 4th floor of the ship. The passenger area is on the 4th to 6th floors. Pick up your room key at the information desk. The interior theme of this ship is “Earth.” It represents the various seasons and climates of the Earth. It has a warm atmosphere. This time, I booked a “Deluxe Cabin” for $230. It is a private room with two beds. The room size is 18 square meters. The room has a calm atmosphere. There is a small sofa and table next to the bed. There is also a desk and chair. Amenities and tea set. Small refrigerator under the desk. It is empty. Outside the window is a terrace. Of course, it faces the sea. The indoor wear is made of waffle fabric, which feels nice against the skin. The air conditioner remote control is next to the door. There is also a closet next to the door. This is the bathroom. It is small but has a bathtub. It’s not new, but it’s clean and easy to use. Well, it’s 15 minutes before departure. The stern side of the 5th floor is a café and rest area. You can exit to the external deck from here. It’s hard to see the departure operations at the wharf… Let’s go back to the side deck we passed through when we boarded. The rope work at the wharf is clearly visible. The ship departed at the scheduled time of 11:50 p.m. The boarding bridge has been detached. The ship slowly moves away from the wharf. Arrival in Otaru is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. tomorrow. The voyage will take 21 hours. Maizuru Port is located deep in a bay. It has flourished as a natural port since ancient times. Let’s return inside the ship. The shop is open until 12:30 a.m. They sell several items that are limited to Hokkaido. This is a great place to buy souvenirs. Hokkaido sake is also available. The ferry company also offers many original products. The restaurant will be open tomorrow morning. It may be better to purchase food before boarding. Take the elevator to the 6th floor. The water heater is broken, so you can use the electric kettle. The grand bath on the 5th floor is open until 1:00 a.m. The washing area and bathtubs are quite spacious. Take a relaxing bath to prepare for tomorrow’s trip. The 4th floor lobby is now empty. I’ll eat the snacks and go to bed… It is 4:30 a.m. The sky is cloudy and the sun is not visible. The Sea of Japan can be rough, so seasickness medicine is a must. After a while, the sky began to clear up. Let’s go to the 5th floor restaurant. Order using the touch panel. Japanese set meal for $8. You pay by device after eating. You can exit to the external deck from the restaurant. The ship is sailing off the coast of the Noto Peninsula. The weather has cleared up. At this distance from land, there is no cell phone signal. The ceiling is a glass roof. The cafe will open soon. The café has different opening hours and a different menu from the restaurant. I bought some freshly baked bread. There are several smoking rooms on board. The hallway decorated with objects. Sunlight is streaming into the 4th floor lobby. There is a photo corner and boarding stamp. The side deck will be closed until arrival. This is a kids’ room. Restrooms and coin laundry machines. It feels a bit old, but it is clean. Next, let’s take a look at the large room. “Tourist S” is a semi-private room and costs $125. “Tourist A” is a bunk bed and costs $80. When making your reservation, you can specify your preferred bed location. Let’s take a look at some more of the ship’s facilities. It is rare to find such a spacious game corner on a ship. This is the 5th floor forward salon. Enjoy the view in the direction of travel. The Forward Salon on the 4th floor is a smoking area. The ship is sailing off the coast of Niigata. The sound of the ship’s whistle echoes across the Sea of Japan. That is the sister ship “Hamayu.” The two ships departed from Maizuru and Otaru at the same time. This is the midpoint of the voyage. The sky is partly cloudy. I relaxed in the grand bath while gazing out at the Sea of Japan. After the bath, I went to the restaurant. Hokkaido-style fried chicken rice bowl for $8. Beer is Hokkaido-limited Sapporo Classic. The ship is sailing off the coast of Akita. The journey is still ahead. I went to the conference room on the 6th floor. This video introduces the history and culture of Otaru. Two movies will be shown in the afternoon. The ship passes Okushiri Island. Tea time in the cabin. Raise this lever to stop the window from shaking. It’s 6:00 p.m. I have dinner at the restaurant. Char siu noodles for $10. It’s almost sunset. The ship is passing the Shakotan Peninsula. Kamuy Cape and Kamuy Rock are located at the tip of the peninsula. Sunset. The Shakotan Peninsula is also illuminated by the setting sun. There are no clouds in the sky. It’s fun to enjoy the same scenery with a large group of people. It’s rare to see such a beautiful sunset. That is the cruise ship “Diamond Princess.” That ship is heading from Otaru to Jeju Island in South Korea. Two ships are probably watching the same sunset. I gazed at the sunset for a long time. The ship will arrive in Otaru soon. I took a bath in my cabin before disembarking. The ship is entering Otaru Port. Otaru is a city with beautiful night views. In Hokkaido, Hakodate and Sapporo are also famous for their night views. That ship is “Azalea”, which sails between Otaru and Niigata. Please also check out my past video! Cleaning staff are moving through the terminal passageway. The crew member throws a line onto the wharf. The car pulls the rope to the bollard. The ship arrived at the scheduled time of 8:45 p.m. Let’s disembark. This is the end of the journey on this ship. Passengers are waiting to disembark on the 4th floor lobby. Let’s proceed from the side deck to the disembarkation bridge. This is the long passageway we saw from the ship earlier. The shuttle bus will depart at 9:30 p.m. It costs $2 and takes 30 minutes to get to Otaru Station. However, it’s faster to walk to Otaru Chikko Station to get to Sapporo. The Acacia will depart again for Maizuru after this. Let’s head to Otaru Chikko Station. There are hot spring facilities and shopping malls along the way. Walking through the shopping mall is the shortest way to the station. We arrived at Otaru Chikko Station. This station is two stations away from Otaru Station. It’s $5 and 24 minutes to Sapporo Station. It might be nice to stay overnight in Otaru or Sapporo. Sapporo has a population of 2 million and is the fifth largest city in Japan. It is a 15-minute walk to the bus center. I’m a little tired from walking, so I’m going to take the subway. It’s one dollar and two minutes to Odori Station. The station is directly connected to the bus center. Numerous buses depart from here to various destinations in Hokkaido. The bus to Wakkanai Port departs at 11:00 p.m. It takes six and a half hours and costs $40. I got off at Wakkanai Station, just before Wakkanai Port. Because I wanted to see Wakkanai Station. This is the northernmost railway station in Japan. Until World War II, the railway operated as far north as Wakkanai Port. Until then, it connected to ships bound for Sakhalin. However, the route was discontinued due to the Soviet invasion in 1945. The railway to the port was also abolished. It is a quiet station, but it has a long and complicated history. These Pokémon are popular in Wakkanai. It’s a 10-minute walk from Wakkanai Station to Wakkanai Port. From 1995 to 2018, there was a regular shipping route to Sakhalin. I hope the route to Russia will be restored… Here is the Wakkanai Ferry Terminal. This ship is “Amapola Soya” bound for Rebun and Rishiri. Built in 2019, length 96.5 meters. Amapola means poppy in Spanish. This ship, “Boreas”, is the Greek god of the north wind. A total of three ships sail between Wakkanai and the two islands. It costs $26 for a second-class to Rebun Island. The waiting area and boarding gate are on the second floor. The ship to Rebun Island departs at 6:30 a.m. Even though it’s early in the morning, many passengers are boarding the ship. There are three round trips a day between Wakkanai and the two islands. During busy periods, the ferry may be full and you may not be able to board. Let’s look around the ship later. The second-class cabin has seats and spacious rooms. Each room has a picture of an animal or plant from Hokkaido. On this day, the second-class cabin was almost full. There are also seats on the external deck. I went up to the roof. The ship departed at 6:30 a.m. on schedule. It’s about a 2-hour voyage to Rebun Island. It’s quite chilly. The temperature seems to be about 10 degrees lower than in Sapporo. The ship passes between the lighthouses on both sides and exits the harbor. The Wakkanai City Centennial Tower stands atop the hill. We are passing Nosappu Cape. Let’s take a look around the ship. This first-class cabin is $48. This is also one of the second-class cabins. This room is for truck and bus drivers. This is a kids’ room with thick cushions. I reunited with Pokémon on the ship. This room is for tour guides. Pets traveling with you should go to this room. This vending machine sells ice cream and corn from Hokkaido. There are several luggage spaces. Rishiri Island is visible on the left. Rebun Island is visible on the right. The sea is a little rough, but the weather is nice. Mount Rishiri is also known as “Rishiri Fuji.” You can see a rainbow in the spray. We will soon arrive at Rebun Island. This port is located in the southern part of the island. Rebun Island is Japan’s northernmost inhabited island. The island has an area of 81 square kilometers and a population of 2,200. The name of the island comes from the Ainu word for “island.” The cool climate allows many alpine plants to grow even in the lowlands. It’s also known as “Floating Island of Flowers.” Let’s disembark. This large room was full of passengers until just a moment ago. Even in summer, the average temperature on Rebun Island is below 20 degrees Celsius. Many tourists visit from overseas. TThere is a waiting area and ticket window on the first floor. He is a mascot derived from the alpine plants of Rebun Island. The second floor dining hall is open from noon. A temporary post office is open. The wharf is very lively. People and dogs are seeing them off together. It’s not often you see a scene like this. They waved until the ship disappeared from view. There are several restaurants and shops open in front of the ferry terminal. I will be heading to Rishiri Island on the 3:30 p.m. ferry. Until then, let’s explore the island on rental bicycles. First, let’s have lunch. Atka mackerel set meal for $12. I grilled and ate a fatty fish over charcoal. Unfortunately, the fresh sea urchin, a specialty of Rebun Island, was sold out… We arrived at the southern tip of the island. This is where the movie “The Canaries of the North” was filmed. The main character is a teacher at an elementary school on the island. Twenty years after she left the island, a former student commits a crime… It looks just like a real elementary school. I wish I could have studied at an elementary school like this. Rishiri Island is only 8 kilometers away from Rebun Island. This is one of the popular tourist spots on Rebun Island. This is a real bus stop. I head to the next place while gazing at Mt. Rishiri. This bus stop also has a lot of charm. There are many rockfall protection fences on the mountainside. I feel like I got a glimpse of the islanders’ life. Ferries from Wakkanai support life on the island. This is the Rebun Local History Museum. Humans have lived on this island for 13,000 years. You can learn about the long history of this island. Let’s go to the onsen. The entrance fee is $4. Private baths require an additional $6. You can see Mt. Rishiri clearly from the break room. I bought this bread on board the Acacia. The ferry has departed for Wakkanai. The rental fee for bicycles was $20 per day. This is the ship bound for Rishiri Island. Built in 2008, total length 95.7 meters. “Cypria Soya” The ship is named after Cyprius, an alpine plant found on Rebun Island. The ship is docking. Arrival from Wakkanai. Three ships are sailing between Wakkanai and the two islands. The ships, routes, and schedules vary depending on the season. It’s nice to be able to see the docking operations up close. Let’s go back to the terminal. Proceed to the ship from the boarding gate on the second floor. It costs $12 for a second-class cabin to Rishiri Island. This ship also has second-class cabins with seats and a large room. The interior is almost the same as the Amapola. This ship looks a little older. Go to the outside deck. It’s getting a little cloudy. We departed on time at 3:30 p.m. It’s 45 minutes to Rishiri Island. I only stayed on Rebun Island for half a day. Next time, I’d like to stay overnight and explore the island thoroughly. The island started to get foggy. Rebun Island, see you again! Rishiri Island is getting closer. That large rock is “Pesi Cape.” Pesi means big cliff in the Ainu language. The ship enters the port in the northern part of the island. Rishiri Island has an area of 182 square kilometers and a population of 4,200. The name of the island comes from the Ainu word for “high island.” It is a volcanic island centered on Mount Rishiri. Arrived on time at 4:15 p.m. Let’s disembark. Many group tourists were on board this ship. Even more tourists visit the island during the busy summer season. I’ll take the shuttle to the hotel. There are not many hotels on Rishiri and Rebun, so accommodation costs are high. This room is $115 for a basic stay. During the busy season, all hotels on the island are fully booked. I went to an izakaya located a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The seafood was delicious, as expected. For $30, I ate as much as I wanted and drank as much as I wanted. After dinner, I relaxed in the hotel’s common room. There are so many Mobile Suits… The manager of this hotel must be a huge Gundam fan. This hotel has onsen. I sleep well after taking an onsen… Good morning! Pesi Cape and Rishiri Fuji are barely visible. Rishiri is a volcanic island. There are many onsen throughout the island. Free bicycles are available at the hotel. Let’s climb Pesi Cape. I got off my bike and walked. These are the graves of samurai who explored this island in the 18th century. There is an observation deck along the way. This is a breeding ground for cormorants. I continue toward the top of the cape. It took about 20 minutes to walk to the top. The fog grew thicker. I saw this white lighthouse from the ship. There are many alpine plants. You can see many species unique to this island. Islanders are cleaning the graves of samurai. You can see the ferry terminal. A ship is just entering the harbor. Well, shall we have lunch? Rishiri seaweed ramen, $9. It contains various seaweed harvested from the sea around Rishiri Island. Unfortunately, there is no fresh sea urchin today. Due to rough seas, fishing is not possible today. The ship bound for Wakkanai is departing. Every island port has its own unique atmosphere. I feel this particularly strongly on this island. I went to the supermarket near the port. This is a good place to buy souvenirs. Take the hotel shuttle to the airport. There are flights to Chitose airport. The toilet radiator is huge. It was a bit of a rushed tour of the islands. Next time, I’d like to take about a week to explore the islands thoroughly. The plane is taking off. Into thick clouds… Farewell to Rishiri-Fuji. How was the trip from Osaka to Rishiri and Rebun? CAPSULE JAPAN is updated every other Friday. See you in the next video!

大阪から北海島の利尻島と礼文島へ旅しました。
まず大阪から舞鶴へ高速バスで移動。
舞鶴から小樽へ新日本海フェリーの「あかしあ」に乗船します。
その後、鉄道とバスを乗り継ぎ、稚内へ。
稚内からフェリーで礼文島、利尻島へと移動します。
帰路は飛行機で利尻島をあとにしました。
北方4島を除けば、日本の最北の地は稚内、最北の離島は礼文島です。
遥か最北の島々へのフェリー旅と島旅。
ぜひお楽しみください！

0:00　オープニング
0:28　大阪
2:54　舞鶴
9:28　出航
14:07　日本海
25:34　小樽
29:44　札幌
31:27　稚内
39:57　礼文島
51:51　利尻島

#フェリー
#利尻島
#礼文島
#北海道
#稚内
#小樽
#舞鶴
#新日本海フェリー
#大阪
#日本
#フェリー旅
#船旅