About this location: Shiretoko
The Shiretoko Peninsula, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, juts into the Sea of Okhotsk. Primeval forests home to brown bears and Blakiston's fish owls, winter drift ice, and summer's Kamuiwakka Falls remain untouched. The sheer cliff coastline visible only from sightseeing boats is breathtaking.
Key features
- Shiretoko Five Lakes — five lakes ringed by primeval forest; raised boardwalks let you walk safely above bear country, with the Shiretoko range reflected in calm water
- Sea of Okhotsk drift ice — late January to early March, the most southerly drift-ice zone in the world; «drift-ice walks» let you stand on it
- Kamuiwakka Falls — a rare waterfall fed by hot springs; in summer, hike upstream to the fourth fall
- Cape Puyuni and Yuhi-dai — five minutes by car from Utoro; sunset over the Sea of Okhotsk silhouettes the cape
- Sightseeing boats — from Utoro Port to Cape Shiretoko, viewing cliffs, waterfalls, and brown bears on a 3.5-hour cruise
