[Utoro Onsen in Shari, Shiretoko] Beautiful Forked Falls

Oshinkoshin Falls

Oshinkoshin Falls (オシンコシンの滝) is a famous waterfall in the root of Cape Oshinkoshin (オシンコシン崎) in Shari town, Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島), and the Oshinkoshin means "A place that Sakhalin fir grows thickly in the downstream" in Ainu language. Because dropping Charassenai River (チャラッセナイ川) is divided into 2 ways, it is called Beautiful Forked Falls (双美の滝), too. Dropping water hits rocks and bubbles, and it is interesting in looking white. The falls is chosen as one of "100 Selections of Japanese Waterfalls", and Japanese movie "Person Living in End of The Earth (地の涯に生きるもの)" used here as a motif. In addition, here was a shooting place for Japanese CM "Lipovitan D (リポビタンD)", too. A tourist attraction is along Shiretoko Natinonal Route (知床国道 * National Route 334), Tourists are easy to drop in here. Oshinkoshinkan souvenir shop (オシンコシン舘), an observation deck, a public restroom and a parking lot is built on the site. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

Movie of Oshinkoshin Falls

Movie of CM of Lipovitan D

A view from Town Road Oshinkoshin Line (町道オシンコシン道路) above the Oshinkoshin Falls has a good reputation, and it is a little-known good place. But the road is closed in a winter. As for the falls, the falls covered with fresh green can be enjoyed in a summer, the falls surronded by autumn leaves can be enjoyed in an autumn, and the icefall and drift ice can be enjoyed in the winter. A drop of the Oshinkoshin Falls has some opinons, and I searched those on the internet, and 3 opinons, 30 m, 50 m and 80 m are mainstreams. so I checked it on the online observed altitude service, and the correct drop is about 30 m. The distance is around 7 km away from the center of Utoro, and a convenience store is not built near here. Oshinkoshin Lookout (オシンコシン展望台) and Sandan Falls (三段の滝) are relatively near here. By the way, a nonstop bus, Eagle Liner (イーグルライナー), runs between Sapporo and Utoro.

Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko National Park (知床国立公園) at the northeastern edge of Japan main land is a national park between Shari town and Rausu town in the the northeastern part of Hokkaido. Most northern part of Shiretoko Peninsula has been desinged as the national park since 1964, and has also been designed World Natural Heritage Site, one of only 4 world natural heritage sites in Japan, since 2005. In the national park, there are Shiretoko Mountain Range (知床連山) such as Mt. Rausudake (羅臼岳), Mt. Chinishibetsudake (知西別岳), Mt. Iou (硫黄山) and Mt. Shiretokodake (知床岳), and here is a tourist attraction on behalf of Hokkaido containing some hot spring places such as Aidomari Onsen (相泊温泉), Seseki Onsen (瀬石温泉), Rausu Onsen (羅臼温泉) and Iwaobetsu Onsen (岩尾別温泉). The Shiretoko National Park is roughly divided into 2 areas, Shari Area and Rausu Area. The area is about 39,000 ha in total. A deep forest that wild animals such as Brown Bears, Yezo Deers and Blakiston's Hish-owls inhabit, Steep cliffs with about 100 m in height that separet the sea from mountains, the sea that marine life such as Salmons and Whales swim in, and those closely related to each other create great nature views. Because the Shiretoko means "The end of the earth" in Ainu language, I can understand the reason that it is said to be an unexplored region. Article is here