[Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck in Rausu, Shiretoko] Rausu and Kunashiri Island Can Be Seen at Sunrise Spot

Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck

Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck (羅臼国後展望塔) is a resource center in Rausu town, Shiretoko Peninsula, and is built for the return of Northern Territories on a hill at about 167 m above sea level, and is well-known as a good place to see the sunrise. Four Northern Islands Museum (北方四島の資料館) is on the 1st floor, an observation deck is built on the rooftop. The Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck and a parking lot are on the site. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. By the way, a road to the Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck is narrow and slope, so drive safety.

The distance is around 2 km away from Roadside Station "Shiretoko Rausu (知床・らうす)", and a restraunt, a cafe and a convenience store are not built around here. The Roadside Station has Shiretoko Restaurant (知床食堂) and Shiretoko Restaurant Shop (知床食堂売店), and I ate Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl and hiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream, and those were tasty.

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

Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl

Shiretoko Restaurant (知床食堂) in Rausu town is a restaurant at second floor of Roadside Station "Shiretoko Rausu (知床・らうす)". I heard that Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl at this restaurant was very popular for riders that tour around Hokkaido, and I visited here. Except the grilled pike congera sea eel rice bowl, a seafood rice bowl (海鮮丼) and Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream (知床深層水ソフトクリーム) are popular, too. Article is here

Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream

Shiretoko Restaurant Shop (知床食堂売店) is on 1st floor of Shiretoko Restaurant in Rausu located in Shiretoko Peninsula, and is famous for serving Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream (知床深層水ソフトクリーム) and Deep Fried Atka Mackerel Humberger (ホッケフライバーガー). I have eaten Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl (黒ハモ丼) at the Shiretoko Restaurant, so I tried to eat the Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream this time. There is the shop in front of a parking lot, and there is a resting place, too. Other visitos bought the Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream successively, and after all it was popular. I lost no time in buying it at a window, too. The price was JPY 320. Article is here