[Cape Puyuni in Shari, Shiretoko] Beautiful Sunset and Drift Ice Can Be Viewed at Puyuni-misaki Lookout

Cape Puyuni

Cape Puyuni (プユニ岬) is a cape jutting out into the Sea of Okhotsk in Shari town, Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島), and the Puyuni means "A place with a holl" in Ainu language. Because a road to the tip of the cape is not built, visitors can not reach to there. But Puyuni-misaki Lookout (プユニ岬展望台) is about 700 m away from the tip of the cape. There is not definite lookout, and a place around Miharashi Bridge (見晴橋) along Shiretoko National Route (National Route 334) is called "the Puyuni-misaki Lookout" at about 95 m above sea level. Utoro Port and the Sea of the Okhotsk can be viewed from here, and Oronko-iwa Rock (オロンコ岩) and Godzilla-iwa Rock (ゴジラ岩) are fitted to a picture, too. This place is well known as a good place to see the sunset, and a lot of visitors come. A winter scenery that drift ice spread over the whole sea looks grand, too. A parking lot is not built, and there is much traffic, and it has a blind curve, a parking on a road shoulder may be dangerous. There is a bridge that is not used any more, the visitors can park their cars. Admission free.

The distance is around 4 km away from the center of Utoro, and a restraunt, a cafe and a convenience store are not built around here. By the way, a nonstop bus, Eagle Liner (イーグルライナー), runs between Sapporo and Utoro.

Furepe Falls

Furepe Falls (フレペの滝) is a waterfall in Shari town, Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島), and the Furepe means "Red Water" in Ainu language. There are various opinions about the red water, but it is said that it was named after sunset light reflecting in the surface of the falls. The falls is near a junction for Rausu Pass (羅臼峠), Shiretoko Goko Lakes (知床五湖) and Utoro Onsen (ウトロ温泉). Rain and snow fallen to Shiretoko Mountain Range (知床連山) have turned into groundwater, and it has fallen from cracks of steep cliffs with about 100 m in height to the Sea of Okhotsk. The drop is about 60 m. It is the rare waterfall in Japan that underground water drops from cracks of rocks, and is one of famous falls together with Shirahige Falls (白ひげの滝) in Biei and Funbe Falls (フンベの滝) in Hiroo in Hokkaido. A observation deck, walking trails, Shiretoko Nature Center (知床自然センター), Wildlife Protection Center (鳥獣保護区管理センター), Shiretoko 100 Square-Meter Trust House (しれとこ100平方メートル運動ハウス), Path for Growing Forest (森づくりの道) and a parking lot are built on the site. A restroom and a restaurant are at the Shiretoko Nature Center, and informations about bears are announced. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Utoro Onsen

Utoro Onsen (ウトロ温泉) is a hot-spring place in Utoro, Shari town located in the middle of Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島) and is called another name Shiretoko Onsen (知床温泉), and there are about 16 hot spring facilities. Utoro is one of the 3 major superb views in Hokkaido together with Shakotan and Benbe Rebun (Rebunge, Toyoura), and has been well-known as a scenic area since a long time ago. Hot springs were succeeded in drilling in 1971, and the Utoro Onsen has been developed as a tourist hub for Shiretoko Goko Lakes and Kamuiwakka Hot Falls, etc. in the north side of the Shiretoko Peninsula, and is a popular hot-spring resort for enjoying the sun set over the Sea of Okhotsk and mountains of Rausu. Article is here

Iwaobetsu Onsen

Iwaobetsu Onsen (岩尾別温泉) is a hot spring place at about 215 m above sea level in Shari town located in the north side of Shiretoko peninsula (知床半島), and is famous as one of secret hot springs in Shiretoko National Park, and is near Kamuiwakka Hot Falls (カムイワッカ湯の滝) and Shiretoko Goko Lakes (知床五湖), and have famous natural open-air baths, Sandan-no-Yu (三段の湯) and Takimi-no-Yu (滝の湯). Only Hotel Chinohate (ホテル地の涯) and Kihoshita Hut (木下小屋) are built at the end of Hokkaido Road 93, and are used as hiker bases for Mt. Rausudake (羅臼岳). Unfortunately, restraunts, cafes, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built. They close a business in a winter season because the Hokkaido Road 93 is closed to traffic. Article is here

Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島) is one of the only 4 World Natural Heritage Sites in Japan. Bears, deers and blakiston's fish-owls have lived in a deep forest. The sea is separeted from mountains by cliffs. Salmons and whales have lived in the sea. Those are connected with each other, and a great scenery is created. Because Shiretoko means "End of the Earth" in Ainu language, I can understand a reason that it is said to be an unexplored region. Article is here