At the easternmost part of Hokkaido, you can find Shiretoko National Park, one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Site (Natural Site).  Shiretoko National Park has a vast forest and a wide marine area. The marine area of the peninsula is considered the world’s southernmost place where drift ice generally forms. Shiretoko National Park is also considered one of Japan’s most beautiful and unspoiled national parks due to the variety of wildlife it has, both on land and underwater.

The peninsula seems to have it all as it has a lot of hiking spots and a nature cruise is also offered along the coast, where you might spot bears on the beaches and some of the 14 different species of whales that visit the coastline. You can also enjoy the picturesque color and scenery of Shiretoko while on the cruise.

When you go up a little higher on the woods, you can also find hidden hot springs that would be perfect after a long hike. Along your trip in the forest, you might also encounter some wild animals such as deer, foxes, and eagles that commonly roam around the forests and valleys.

How To Get There?

The closest domestic airport to Shiretoko National Park is Memanbetsu Airport in Ozora, Hokkaido. It has direct flights to and from Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo. From the airport, there are some direct buses going to Utoro, the largest town in Shiretoko Peninsula. You can also reach Shiretoko by train through JR Shiretoko Shari Station in Shari, Hokkaido, and then ride a bus going to Utoro by, though buses might be infrequent in the area.

There are also some car rental outlets that can be found at Memanbetsu Airport going to the proximity of Shiretoko National Park. You can also drive directly from Sapporo to Shiretoko National Park via Asahikawa, Sounkyo, Kitami, and Bihoro which is about 450 kilometers away and will take about 6-7 hours to reach.

After a long day full of discoveries in Shiroko, the next thing you would like is to lay down and rest at your own comfortable abode back at the city. With that being said, it is important that you secure an accommodation first before you execute your planned trip. With KaguAruoo, you can browse over 2,000 listings in Hokkaido. If you feel like you need any assistance, you can start chatting with their active chat support representative. Aside from that, one of the advantages that KaguAruoo offers to its users is its function to let the landlord and the tenant communicate directly through the website, and most especially, pay the accommodation and sign the contract online. If you’re staying in Tokyo or from other countries, you can still secure that place without going all the way to Hokkaido.