The rather dreary port of WAKKANAI , 320km from Sapporo, is the gateway to the far northwestern tip of Hokkaido and the idyllic Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park . The main reason for coming here is to press on to the islands of Rebun-to and Rishiri-to, and the quickest way of doing this is to hop on the overnight train from Sapporo, which will deposit you in Wakkanai in good time to board one of the early ferries. If you arrive during the day, however, you'll find a few points of interest to keep you pleasantly occupied for a few hours.
One impressive spot is by the northern flank of the port, which is protected by the North Breakwater Dome , a 427-metre-long arched corridor supported by seventy concrete pillars. In July and August, a local market is set up here, along with a karaoke stage and barbecue pits at which you can sizzle your own fresh seafood and meat and guzzle beer - this is a fun place to hang out while waiting for a ferry. With more time to kill, head west of the JR station to the small cable car (¥180 one way, ¥240 return), which will whisk you up to Wakkanai-koen , a grassy park from where, on a clear day, you can see right across to the Russian island of Sakhalin, some 60km northwest. Japan occupied Sakhalin in the early twentieth century and there's a monument in the park to nine female telephone operators who committed suicide in the post office on the island at the end of World War II, rather than be captured by the Russians. Russo-Japanese relations are now much improved and there is steady trade between Wakkanai and its northern neighbours.
There's not much point carrying on to cape Soya Misaki , 27km east of Wakkanai, other than to say you've been to the northernmost point of Japan. A couple of monuments, "The Bell for World Peace" and the "Tower of Prayer", a memorial to the Korean Airlines plane shot down by Soviet Union just north of the cape, mark the flat and rather dull spot, served by infrequent buses from Wakkanai.
Some 35km south of Wakkanai lies the Sarobetsu Natural Flower Garden , best visited between May and September, when its marshlands become a riot of colourful blooms. However, if you're heading over to Rebun, save your energy, as you'll see just as many flowers there, and in a far more dramatic setting. To reach the park, take a local train to Toyotomi Station, a 45-minute journey from Wakkanai, and then catch a bus (¥400) for the last fifteen minutes.
