Cape Soya & Sarobetsu — Northernmost HokkaidoCoast.
Distance
320 km
Duration
2 days
Climb
1,400 m
Cape Soya & Sarobetsu — Northernmost Hokkaido Coast.
A two-day ride to Japan's true end. Day 1 climbs the windswept Soya Hills to Cape Soya (45.5°N) — the northernmost point of the Japanese road system, with the Russian island of Sakhalin visible on clear days 43km north. Day 2 rolls south along the Sea of Japan via the Sarobetsu Wetlands — a vast tundra-like plain seen by almost no tourists. The northern latitude means long summer evenings; winter shuts the entire coast down.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance320 km
Days2
Total climb1,400 m
DifficultyModerate
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2 days, 2 moods.
A suggested split across 2 days with 10 waypoints to discover along the way.
Wakkanai StationStart · Start in Wakkanai, Japan's northernmost city. Fuel up — services thin out fast going north and south of here.
Cape Noshappu LighthousePhoto Spot · Western cape of Wakkanai, looking out to Rishiri Island's perfect volcanic cone. Sunset spot. Try the local kegani crab.
Soya Hills Wind FarmScenic Point · Treeless rolling hills covered in tussock and 57 wind turbines. Cattle roam free. The road feels more Mongolia than Japan.
Cape Soya — Japan's Northernmost PointPhoto Spot · 5.44m triangular monument marking the northernmost road point of Japan (45°31'N). Sakhalin (Russia) visible 43km north on clear days. Always windy.
Soya Misaki Crab HouseRestaurant · Local restaurants at the cape serve fresh hairy crab (kegani) and sea urchin (uni). Ride the dropping coast road south after lunch.
Wakkanai OvernightOvernight · Overnight back in Wakkanai. Best hotel options on the north coast. Tomorrow heads south down the Sea of Japan coast through the Sarobetsu.
Sarobetsu PlainScenic Point · Vast wetland-tundra stretching 27km south. Wildflowers in June–July. Marshland boardwalks. Empty horizons in every direction.
Sarobetsu Marsh BoardwalkPhoto Spot · Wetland walkway through reeds and wild irises. Rishiri & Rebun islands frame the western horizon across the Sea of Japan.
Toyotomi OnsenRestaurant · Unique petroleum-rich onsen — the water smells like crude oil. Said to cure stubborn skin conditions. Lunch at a village ryokan.
HoronobeEnd · End in Horonobe — connecting point south to Asahikawa or onwards to Rumoi via the coast. Onsen and quiet inns. Long summer twilight worth lingering for.
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