Cape Soya

Cape Soya is located on the northernmost tip of Japan that is bordered by Soya-misaki village where picturesque stores and houses line the streets. Cape Soya is the northernmost place in Japan where ordinary people can visit, so you can find the monument for the northernmost point of Japan,that attracts a number of tourists. Actually the substantial northernmost place that the Japanese government has control of is Bentenjima Island, located just west-northwest of Cape Soya.

Spots to see

Even though there is no large or special facilities in Cape Soya, in the summer, the cape is crowded with group tours. Few tourists visit here in other seasons, typically in winter. Besides the monument, there is the cenotaph for the dead of Korean Air Lines Flight 007, the "Tower of Prayer." The statue of Mamiya Rinzo, the explorer of Karafuto (Sakhalin Island) in the late Edo period; 'Monument of Peace,' a memorial of the dead during WWⅡ; and Omisaki-watchtower of the old Japanese Navy also stand on the cape. You can see Nishinotoro-Misaki, or Cape Crillon, which is only 43 kilometers away from Cape Soya, when the weather is fine without fog or sea mist. From the observation deck on the cape, you can fully enjoy the northernmost scenery and beautiful seas.

Access

It takes about a 50-minute bus ride, by Soya Bus, from the JR Wakkanai Station. In summer, regular sightseeing buses are in service from both the downtown of Wakkanai city and the Wakkanai Airport to Cape Soya. As the cape is located at the northernmost place of Japan, the transportation services are very poor and only one bus operates every two hours. Going by car is the best way to get to Cape Soya, but if you want to go by bus, setting an exact schedule and checking the timetable of the bus services in advance is highly recommended.