Shiretoko National Park - Parco nazionale di Shiretoko

Shiretoko National Park (知 床 国立 公園 Shiretoko-kokuritsukōen) is a protected area that covers the entire Shiretoko Peninsula (知 床 半島 Shiretoko-hantō), a remote northeastern corner of the island Japanese of Hokkaidō. Since 2005 it has been protected byUNESCO.

To know

Shiretoko is one of the most remote areas in all of Japan. The national park has no major settlements, and the northern part of the peninsula has no roads either. The peak of visits is during the short summer season. The park is open all year round, but conditions during the winter can be very difficult.

• Rausu Visitor Center (羅 臼 ビ ジ タ ー セ ン タ ー), 臼 町 湯 ノ 沢 町 ６−２７ (On highway 334, several kilometers from Rausu), ☎ 81 0153 87-2828. May-Oct 9: 00-17: 00, Nov-Apr 10: 00-16: 00, closed on Mondays and New Year's. This is one of the two visitor centers for Shiretoko National Park. There is a small museum exhibit, and some information about the park. Rangers can help visitors plan excursions or find campgrounds. There is also a small shop that sells postcards and bear bells. 

How to get

By plane

• Shiretoko Airport Liner. Sharibus has three buses a day to and from Memanbetsu Airport with stops at Utoro, Shari, JR Abashiri Station and the Abashiri Bus Terminal. 

On the train

Public transportation to Shiretoko is limited. The nearest train station is Shari, from the station there are about 6 buses a day (during the high season) through Utoro to the west coast of the peninsula. These buses from Shari to Utoro and back follow the timetable with departures and arrivals on the JR Senmo line.

• Sharibus. 

By bus

• Chuo Bus. It offers two buses per day to and from Sapporo Bus Terminal, including a night bus, to Shari and Utoro. 

On the eastern side is the small town of Rausu, reachable by bus from Kushiro. (3.5 hours) and (only in summer) also two daily buses from Utoro.

Permits / Rates

How to get around

To get around, you need your own vehicle, as bus services are limited and rare, especially outside the peak summer season. Remember that the north side of the peninsula is off-limits for any type of car. There are no roads on the southern side of the peninsula beyond Rausu.

Sharibus offers during the non-winter seasons a convenient guided tour (in Japanese) divided into three routes:

• Route A: Early morning transportation from Shari Bus Station to Utoro Bus Station with a 10-minute photo stop at Oshinkonshin Falls. 70 min. ¥ 1800 adults, ¥ 1000 children.
• Route B: Four hour drive ending in Utoro with a short 5 minute stop at Capo Pyuni, 1 hour at the Five Lakes (enough to do the basic 1.6km walk on the elevated wooden path to the first lake) and 90 minutes at the Shiretoko Nature Center. The bus ticket covers the 20-minute documentary about Shiretoko (in Japanese). In the center there is an information desk, a souvenir stand, a food stand and there is enough time to take a 2km (40-50 minute) walk to the beautiful Furepe waterfall. 4 hours 5 min. ¥ 3000 adults, ¥ 1800 children.
• Route C: Continuous transport from Utoro to Shari. 50 min. ¥ 1700 adults, ¥ 900 children.

During the high season there are also four Sharibus services per day from Utoro to Rausu.

What see

• The Five Lakes (知 床 五 湖 Shiretoko-goko) (At the end of the main road on the west coast). Parking ¥ 400. 7:30-18:00. These lakes are Shiretoko's best known and most easily accessible attraction. The five lakes are located within walking distance of each other and are connected by well-maintained footpaths. A quick ride takes no more than an hour. There is an elevated wooden path that leads to Lake Ichi-ko (the first lake) which can be walked all year round for free without a guide, but routes from two to five lakes require a reservation, payment of a fee and a visit with an authorized guide. The longest route is 3 kilometers and can take anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the conditions. Route details are available on the Five Lakes website. Beware of bears, Shiretoko has the highest concentration of bears in all of Japan. 
• Kamuiwakka Falls (カ ム イ ワ ッ カ 湯 の 滝 Kamuiwakka-yunotaki). shuttle bus ¥ 1180. These waterfalls are one of the most beautiful natural wonders in Japan, and indeed the name Ainu means "river of the gods". The road to the falls is closed to private traffic, so you need to take the shuttle bus from the Shiretoko Shizen Center. The bus travels 11 km on a rough dirt road for about 40 minutes. At the end of the track, put on a pair of sturdy sandals. If you don't have them you can take the waraji (straw bamboo sandals) for hire for a few hundred yen at downtown Shizen. Sneakers are fine too, but they get wet. Then begins a thirty-minute climb up the river, with the water warming as you go up and the rocks becoming more slippery for the algae. Be very careful and forget about cameras and cameras. Eventually you will find a waterfall in a free natural thermal pool large enough for half a dozen people. Since August 2006, only the first part of the river from the bus terminal to the road bridge has been open to the public due to the danger of falling rocks. 
• Shiretoko Pass (知 床 峠 Shiretoko-tōge). At the highest point of the road connecting the western and eastern coasts is a popular stop on the tour bus circuit, overlooking Mount Rausu and, on a good day, the disputed Russian-controlled but Japan-claimed Kunashiri island. 

What to do

There are a number of trails, but most require you to spend a night or two on the trail. The Mount Iō is an active volcano (1563m) and is generally inaccessible due to the sulfuric fumes it spits out (it last erupted in 1936), but the Mount Shiretoko ' (1245m) at the northern end is a possibility. The trail to the top of Kamuiwakka Falls is closed, but the other trails are open.

• Mt. Rausu (羅 臼 岳 Rausu-dake). The ascent to the summit of this 1665m mountain is a difficult but very popular day trip. In bad weather, Mount Rausu can be very dangerous. 
• Iwaobetsu Course (岩 尾 別 コ ー ス). The most popular and least bumpy route. 
• Rausu Onsen Course (羅 臼 温泉 コ ー ス) (Start at Rausu Onsen Campground). Hikers typically leave at 5:00 am. This route is approximately 14.6 km round trip and, due to the large difference in altitude, takes 9-12 hours. It is advisable to bring water or melt the snow (suitably treated): there are steam outlets and sulphurous areas that could make the water of the stream not drinkable. 
• Aurora Tourist Cruise (Boarding at the Triangular Rock). From April to October (see website for exact dates) Aurora offers two cruises, a 3-hour 45-minute cruise to Cape Shiretoko, and a shorter 90-minute cruise to Mount Io and back. The boats offer comfortable seating and are equipped with a café, souvenir stand and restrooms. 
• Shiretoko Harp (Utoro Bus Terminal). 2500-6000 yen per person, minimum two people. Guides and transport bookable online or at the office at the Utoro Bus Terminal. 
• Iwaobetsu Onsen (岩 尾 別 温泉). Free and outdoor thermal pool, ideal for relaxing after long walks. 
• Kuma no Yu (熊 の 湯), 臼 町 湯 ノ 沢 町 (Across from Rausu Onsen Campground, one minute from Rausu Visitor Center on Highway 344), ☎ 81 0153 87-2111. Free. This is a free outdoor onsen. The bathrooms are separated by gender. There are no towels or soap available, so visitors should bring their own. The men's bathroom is almost visible from the street, although the tree branches help provide some privacy. The women's bathtub features a privacy wall. 

Shopping

Where to eat

There are few places to eat in Shiretoko. The youth hostel offers affordable meals and can arrange a lunch upon request. Sometimes there are food stalls at the Shiretoko Pass. There are two small restaurants at the Shiretoko Nature Center and the Five Lakes Information Center where you can buy venison or red pork burgers and croquettes, as well as small snacks, sweets and different types of jerky strips (including venison). , red pork, scallops or salmon).

For those who want to drink alcohol there is a beer dispenser at the youth hostel. At the souvenir shops you can buy beer and spirits typical of the island of Hokkaido.

Where stay

The highest standard accommodations are located in Rausu is Utoro in Shari.

• Rausu Nature and Green Campground (ら う す 自然 と み ど り の 村 キ ャ ン プ 場), 臼 町 幌 萌 町 (Highway 335 about 10km from Rausu), ☎ 81 0153 88-2162. Tented camp ¥ 300. This campsite has pitches for tents and campers. It faces the Pacific Ocean to the east, with a good sunrise view. The Shiretoko Mountains are also visible to the northwest. There are bathrooms with electricity and running water, and the covered cooking areas are clean. It is located near a golf course. The caretaker closes the reception at 6pm, so latecomers should pay in the morning. 
• 44.034478145.152731 Rausu Onsen Campground (羅 臼 温泉 野 営 場 Rausu Onsen Yaeichi), 臼 町 湯 ノ 沢 町 (Highway 344, 1 minute from Rausu Visitor Center), ☎ 81 0153 87-2126. This campsite is well located for people looking to climb Mount Rausu. It is also across the highway from a free onsen. Deer are often seen in and around the campsite, so food must be properly stored. 
• Shiretoko-Iwaobetsu Youth Hostel (知 床 岩 尾 別 ユ ー ス ホ ス テ ル) (Iwaobetsu bus stop from Shari to Shiretoko near the hostel), ☎ 81 0152 24-2311. An excellent hostel with knowledgeable staff, ideal for meeting other hikers. 
• Grantia Shiretoko-Shari Ekimae hotel (Close to Shari Bus Terminal and in front of JR Shiretoko-Shari Station). The Route Inn chain has a very convenient hotel for those coming from Abashiri or Kushiro. Large rooms for a Japanese hotel, wifi in all rooms and free shared bathroom. 

Safety

Shiretoko boasts the largest bear population in Japan, a fact emphasized throughout the local tourist literature. In practice, the Hokkaido brown bear (ezo-higuma) does not match the North American grizzly, and is extremely unlikely to be attacked if you observe an iota of common sense. That said, most hikers wear jingling bells known as kumasuzu to warn bears (which avoid contact with humans). However, you should not leave food in or near the tent when camping.

How to keep in touch

Around

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Shiretoko National Park
• Commons contains images or other files on Shiretoko National Park

Draft : the article respects the standard template and has at least one section with useful information (albeit a few lines). Header and footer are correctly filled out.