- August 23rd, 2014
- nature
- FamousSpots
- NorthernArea
[Soya Hills in Wakkanai] All Things Such as Hills, White Road, Windmills and Hay Are Picturesque Views
CONTENTS
Soya Hills
Soya Hills (宗谷丘陵) is nearby Cape Soya (宗谷岬) located in the northeastern part of Wakkanai city. Soil repeated freezes and fusion in the ice age, and the waved surface of hills named "Periglacial Landforms" was born. Here is a viewing spot for beautiful sceneries with gentle hills with about 400 m in height, Mt. Maruyama, White Road and windmills. About 3,000 Soya Black Cattles are bred on the gentle hills, and 57 windmills stand on the gentle hills. I think that an inimitable superb view in Japan can be seen only here. It is said the views look like the sceneries of Iceland or Siberia in Russian, and it can also be said that foreign sceneries can be enjoyed here while visitors are in the Japan. In addition, it is said that the game venue of Anime "Girls und Panzer der Film" uses the Mt. Maruyama as a motif. A parking lot is free of charge. There is no facility except the parking lot.
Footpath "Soya Hills Course (宗谷丘陵コース)" is through the Soya Hills, and hikers can enjoy amazing views while walking. Some restaurants such as Shokudo Saihokutan (食堂最北端), Minshuku Soya-misaki (民宿宗谷岬), Mamiyado (間宮堂) and Guest House "Armeria" (ゲストハウスアルメリア) are built at the Cape Soya, but a convenience store is not built. I ate famous salt broth ramen with scallops at the Mamiyado, and it was tasty.
Cape Soya
Cape Soya (宗谷岬) is a cape, the Japan mainland's northernmost point, located in the northeastern part of Wakkanai city, the Japan's northernmost city, and a lot of visitors come. In addition, the cape is one of 3 major tourist attractions that the globe looks round in Hokkaido together with Cape Chikyu (地球岬) and Kaiyoudai (開陽台). The Cape Soya is roughly divided into 2 places, one is the Cape Soya that the Japan mainland's northernmost point is overcome by deep emotion on the flat, and another is Soyamisaki Park (宗谷岬公園) that Sakhalin Island (サハリン島), the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan can be looked over on the hillside. Soya Channel (宗谷海峡) separates the Cape Soya from the Sakhalin Island, and the distance is around 40 km. The Cape Soya is connected Cape Nishi-notoromisaki (西能登呂岬) in the Sakhalin Island with a line, and the left side is the Sea of Japan, and the right side is the Sea of Okhotsk. The cape is one of 3 places that 2 seas can be viewed at the same time in Hokkaido together with Cape Esan (恵山岬) and cape Nosappu (納沙布岬), too. Read More
Mamiyado
Mamiyado (間宮堂) is a popular ramen restraunt in Soyamisaki park, wakkanai city and is known for a catch phrase "The more ramen is served at the north, the better ramen is tasty (北へ行くほどラーメンがうまくなる)". A building is located on a hill, so view from the ramen restraunt is good. Dishes using seafood such as a sea urchin rice bowl as well as the ramen are served. By the way, they open a bussiness from mid April to mid November and close in a winter. Read More
As for Onsen, Wakkanai Onsen (稚内温泉) is famous. In addition, there are Wakkanai Natural Onsen "Minato-no-Yu" (稚内天然温泉「港のゆ」) and Wakkanai Grand Hotel (稚内グランドホテル) near Minami-wakkanai Station. By the way, a direct bus does not run between Sapporo or New Chitose Airport and the Wakkanai. But an express bus Hamnasu-go (はまなす号) runs between the Sapporo and the Wakkanai. Besides, Rent-a-car can be rented around Wakkanai Station, Minami-wakkanai Station and Wakkanai Airport.
WAKKANAI
Wakkanai (稚内) that about 35,000 people live is the 21th largest fishery city in Hokkaido, and was named after Yamuwakkanai that means "A river with cold water" in Ainu language. It is one of regional hub cities of the North Hokkaido area, and is the northernmost port town in Japan. A catch of Octopus Dofleini (ミズダコ) is the largest in the Japan. In addition, a lot of people run a dairy farm, and the Wakkanai is one of tasty milk‐producing distlict in the Hokkaido. My grandmother was from Keihoku (恵北) in the Wakkanai, and I remember that the milk was very tasty when I visited parents' house of my grandmother in the old days. As for climate, the Wakkanai faces the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, so a wind blows hard. Average annual temperature is 7 degrees, and it is chilly in a summer, and it does not relatively snow hard in a winter. Wakkanai Peninsula (稚内半島) is in the west side of the city, and Soya Peninsula (宗谷半島) is in the east side of the city, and the downtown is in the west side of the city. Various things is the northernmost in the Japan, for example, Japane's Northernmost Railway Monument (日本最北端の線路の碑) is built beside the Wakkanai Station, too. Read More
Soya Hills Trip
In the Soya Hills, there is no facility that visitors can enter, so the visitors enjoy views along some roads. The only parking lot is built along Hokkaido Road 889, and Soya-misaki Ranch can be seen from here. The Sea of Okhotsk can be seen through the cattles and the hills. I think that here is the place that the visitors can feel the Periglacial Landforms the most. By the way, Pasture Land No Trespassing !
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Some narrow roads are built, and White Road covered with crushed scallop shells is very popular. A conbination of green grass, the blue sky, the blue sea and the white road is a non-daily life view. In addition, I love a conbination of the Soya Hills and Hay very much. Maruyama Radar Site is a good accent, too. Drive safety because of the narrow roads, and please find your favorite views.
Atmosphere of Soya Hills Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Soya Hills
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (9 Cars) |
| Business hours | Open 24 hours |
| Regular closing day | Open year all round |
| Telephone number | +81-162-23-6161 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 805 847 655*71 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Wakkanai. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
A page of Wakkanai is here
Wakkanai
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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