A Beautiful Dream on the "Floating Island of Dreams"

Although some say the world is becoming less interesting, I still hold onto a bit of anticipation—especially when breathtaking scenery unfolds before my eyes, prompting a heartfelt exclamation: "How beautiful!" At that moment, travel finds its meaning. From Wakkanai Port, a 1-hour and 40-minute ferry ride takes you to Oshidomari Port (Rishiri Port). Before setting foot on Rishiri Island, I only knew it was famous for its kombu (kelp). Little did I know it also boasts one of Japan's 100 famous mountains—Mount Rishiri (1,721m). Despite my firm declaration (repeated 100 times) of having no plans to climb mountains, I still ended up hiking the 93-meter-high Lighthouse Mountain in the evening. Encircling the so-called "Rishiri Fuji" (63 km), I watched its summit transition from being shrouded in mist to becoming clearly visible. The island offers a variety of natural landscapes, including coastlines, unique rock formations, hills, wetlands, and rare alpine plants that start at sea level. Beyond its rich marine environment, which nurtures one of the top fishing grounds, the island also holds a wealth of historical and cultural sites. Counterclockwise Attractions: - Fujino Garden Observatory - Fuji Cape Shrine - Kutsugata Cape Park - Northern Itsukushima Benten Shrine - Reihō Spring Water - Senbōshi Misaki Park - Otatomari Marsh - Numafura Observatory (Shiroi Koibito Hill) - Himenuma Observatory - Pension Gunrinfu - Peshi Cape