- July 22nd, 2014
- Nature
- TouristSpots
- EasternArea
[Utoro Onsen in Shari, Shiretoko] Beautiful Forked Falls
CONTENTS
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 has been 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), Sandan Falls (三段の滝) and Onnebetsu River (遠音別川) are relatively near here.
Onnebetsu River
Onnebetsu River (遠音別川) is a river in Shari town located in the north side of Shiretoko Peninsula, and Onnebetsu River crosses the river along National Route 334, and is near Oshinkoshin Falls (オシンコシンの滝). The Onnebetsu means “A large river” in Ainu language, but its width is around 10 m, so it is not large. River’s source is rain and snow on mountains between Mt. Unabetsudake (海別岳) and Mt. Onnebetsudake (遠音別岳). The river is well-known as a good place to see salmon and pink salmon running upstream, and a lots of anglers come to catch those. The salmon and the pink salmon running upstream season is about from August to September. It sometimes happens that a bear appears in the river, so beware of the bear. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Onnebetsu Parking Area (遠音別パーキングエリア) is sometimes full along the National Route, so a parking lot is provided at the Onnebetsu River Salmon and Trout-Run Viewing Facility (遠音別川サケ・マス遡上観覧施設) during the best season. Read More
By the way, a highway bus, Eagle Liner (イーグルライナー), runs between Sapporo and the 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. Read More
Oshinkoshin Falls in Summer, Autumn and Winter
It takes about 3 minute from the parking lot to the observation deck on foot. The whole falls can be seen from the lower observation deck, and the powerful falls can be enjoyed from the upper observation deck. Be careful to keep dry from splashes of the falls. In addition, Beware of bears early in the morning or in the evening, too.
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Oshinkoshin Falls in Summer or Autumn
In the summer, a conbination of white bubbles and fresh green is very beautiful, so here might be crowded with a lot of the tourists because of popular tourist attraction. But a few tourists come gere early in the evening, and the setting sun across the Sea of Okhotsk can be seen, too. In the autumn, the Oshinkoshin Falls is surrounded by the autumn leaves, and different charm can be enjoyed.
Atmosphere of Oshinkoshin Falls Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Oshinkoshin Falls
Oshinkoshin Falls in Winter
In the winter, most part of the falls is covered with ice, so the ice fall can be enjoyed. In addition, a lot of dirft ice come along the coast in front of the falls. I was impressed at white world covered with the drift ice. Very nice view! Tourists from Europe got absorbed in taking a photo when I visited here.
Atmosphere of Drift Ice Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Drift Ice
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (35 Cars) |
| Business hours | 24 hours * Oshinkoshinkan 08:00-18:00 |
| Regular closing day | Open all year round * Oshinkoshinkan From early November to late April |
| Telephone number | +81-152-22-2125 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 894 727 227*27 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Shari. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
Utoro Onsen
Iwaobetsu Onsen
Shari
A page of Shiretoko National Park is here
Shiretoko National Park
By the way, Club Tourism (クラブツーリズム), a Japanese tour travel agency, provides various types of tours such as day trip tours or ordinary tours. In the case of bus tours, tourists do not drive their cars themselves, so they can savor alcohol. Choosen tourist attractions are national parks such as Rishiri and Rebun, Shiretoko, and popular tourist places such as Furano and Biei, and some activities such as hiking and fruit picking are also enjoyed depending on seasons. If you are interested in tour trips, you should visit the club tourism's website for details.
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