Hokkaido, located in the northernmost and easternmost parts of Japan, is also where the first sunrise of the year occurs the earliest.
Furthermore, the eastern and northern parts of Hokkaido are famous for their clear air. It's no surprise that the sunrises there are beautiful.

But where are these truly beautiful spots? It would be difficult if they're places you can't go to in winter.

Leave it to us! The six spots we've carefully selected are the best places to watch the first sunrise of the year, recommended even by locals.

Don't just enjoy the summer; make sure to properly witness the first sunrise of the year to start it off in the best possible way.

Table of contents
1. Cape Nosappu (Nemuro City)
2. Cape Soya (Wakkanai City)
3. Moiwayama Observatory, Sapporo City (Sapporo City)
4. Cape Chikyu (Muroran City)
5. Cape Notoro (Abashiri City)
6. Bihoro Pass (Bihoro Town and Teshikaga Town)

Excluding remote islands, Nemuro City is the easternmost city in Japan.

This fishing town, nestled in gently rolling hills, is the closest town to Russia. It's a small, international city where signs in Russian are quite noticeable. About 20 km east from here, a 30-minute drive through a primeval forest will take you to Cape Nosappu.

It is one of the capes known nationwide for having the earliest sunrise of the year. While Inubosaki in Chiba also has an early sunrise, this cape, being the easternmost point accessible by domestic travel, has a premium feel and attracts many locals and tourists from within and outside Hokkaido every year.

On a clear day, you can see the Northern Territories islands and the Kuril Islands from this spot. The first sunrise of the year is a lively spectacle here.

The tourist information center will open at 5:00 AM, and the local specialty, Hanasaki crab soup, will be sold. Local performing arts will also be presented just before sunrise.

This shows just how much the citizens cherish this once-a-year event. Soon, the first sunrise of the year rises majestically, painting the sky orange.

As the rising sun bathes everyone watching, they are enveloped in a breathtaking crimson glow.

Even with a few clouds, the golden screen adorning the rising sun looks even more beautiful, creating a moment that makes you forget the long journey of a thousand kilometers.

The Pacific coast of Hokkaido often experiences sunny weather even in winter, so you have a good chance of encountering breathtaking scenery.

There are extra buses running for the first sunrise of the year, so you don't have to worry about getting there.

Image source:Free stock photos of Hokkaido: DO PHOTO

Basic Information
Location:Nosappu Cape, Nemuro City, Hokkaido
For inquiries, please contact: 0153-24-3104 / Nemuro City Tourism Association
Transportation: (Train) From JR Nemuro Station, take the Nemuro Kotsu bus bound for Nosappu Cape (40 minutes), get off at the last stop, and it's a short walk.
(By car) 150km, 2 hours 20 minutes from Tancho Kushiro Airport via National Route 44.
Parking: 100 spaces / Free
Changes in sunrise time: Around 6:50 AM on the winter solstice to around 3:40 AM on the summer solstice.
Time of first sunrise: around 6:51

If Nemuro City is at the easternmost point, Wakkanai City is at the northernmost point, and Sakhalin (Karafuto) lies about 50 km to the north in the sea.

Cape Nosappu is also lively in the New Year, but this place is even more spectacular, with fireworks and bonfires celebrating the first sunrise of the year.

The "First Sunrise at the Top" event has been held since 1988. It starts at 5:30 AM.

This can be seen as a testament to the generous spirit of Wakkanai City, which warmly welcomes visitors. "Teppen" of course refers to Cape Soya, the highest point in Japan.

Unlike the calm, beautiful, deep blue of the Soya Sea in summer, the Sea of ​​Japan in winter is rough, with whitecaps crashing against the shore.

The sight of the first sunrise of the year emerging from the clouds far beyond the Soya Strait, which connects to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, is a majestic spectacle that combines both harshness and warmth.
The light that shines down on those watching the first sunrise of the year is so clear and transparent that you won't find it anywhere else in Japan.

Be prepared for the cold winds and chill at the northernmost tip of mainland Japan. However, the rewards for taking that risk should be great.

Bathed in the light of the New Year, it will make you feel refreshed, both physically and mentally.

Basic Information
Location: Cape Soya, Wakkanai City, Hokkaido
For inquiries, please contact: 0162-23-6468 / Wakkanai City Hall Tourism and Exchange Division
Transportation: (Train) From JR Wakkanai Station, take the Soya Bus Tenboku Soya Cape Line for 50 minutes, get off at the Soya Cape bus stop, and it's a short walk from there.
Transportation: (By car) 220km, 3 hours 45 minutes from Shibetsu-Kenbuchi IC on the Hokkaido Expressway via National Routes 40 and 238.
Parking: 80 spaces / Free
Every year, special public transportation services are operated to coincide with the first sunrise of the year.
Changes in sunrise time: Around 7:10 AM on the winter solstice to around 3:50 AM on the summer solstice.
Time of first sunrise: around 7:11

There are several spots in Sapporo City where you can watch the first sunrise of the year. Opinions are divided among residents as to which is the best.
Maruyama, convenient for visiting Hokkaido Shrine for the first shrine visit of the year, and JR Tower, close to the station and completely warm, are all attractive options. However, if you're purely seeking the beauty of the first sunrise of the year, then Moiwayama would be the place to go.

The 531-meter-high mountaintop offers not only a panoramic view of the entire city of Sapporo below, but also a distant vista of the Yubari hills and Ishikari Bay.
The first sunrise of the year slowly brightens the purple sky from the hilly area east of Sapporo. The way its light gradually illuminates the city of Sapporo is truly awe-inspiring.

As the sun shines brighter, the shadows of the buildings lengthen, painting the entire town in an orange hue.
The scenery, which looks as if it has been captured in a painting, gives travelers a shiver that goes beyond mere emotion.

There's a reason why over 1,000 people gather every year, undeterred by the cold.

For this grand light and shadow spectacle, a once-a-year event, public transportation, including the cable car, will be in operation.
One of Japan's three most beautiful night views is also breathtakingly beautiful at dawn.

Basic Information
Location:Minami-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido
Inquiries: 011-561-8177 / Sapporo Moiwayama Ropeway
Transportation: From JR Sapporo Station, take a 15-minute drive to the Moiwa Mountain Ropeway.
January 1st only: 5:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Last northbound train at 4:30 PM)
10km (25 minutes) from Sapporo Kita Interchange on the Sassho Expressway via National Route 5.
During the winter months, the Moiwa Mountain sightseeing road is closed, so only the ropeway is available.
Parking: 120 spaces available at the Moiwa Mountain Ropeway parking lot / Free
Changes in sunrise time: Around 7:00 AM on the winter solstice to around 3:55 AM on the summer solstice.
Time of first sunrise: around 7:01

Cape Chikyu is the go-to spot for watching the sunrise in central Hokkaido. It's located on the opposite side of the peninsula from Muroran Port, which played a vital role in Hokkaido's development through its ironworks.

As a scenic spot, it has been selected as one of "Hokkaido's 100 Best Natural Landscapes" and one of "Japan's 100 Best New Tourist Destinations," making it a must-visit place when you come to Muroran, along with the Hakucho Bridge.

The most striking feature is the magnificent view that allows you to personally experience the truth of the astronauts' words that the Earth is round.

The cape itself is situated on a cliff approximately 140 meters above sea level, jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, forming the foundation for the magnificent scenery.

As the sun rises over the vast Pacific Ocean stretching out before you, the sea sparkles, and the sky changes to bright colors, painting a complex gradient.
It will be a moment that makes you realize how small humans are in the midst of a magnificent panorama, and how we, as beings on this planet, truly exist.

On a clear day, you can enjoy the view that stretches as far as Mount Komagatake on Lake Onuma and even as far as Aomori Prefecture.

Muroran is a city that experiences a relatively large number of rainy and cloudy days. If you happen to see a beautiful sunrise, especially the first sunrise of the year, you'll definitely feel like something good is going to happen this year.

Basic Information
Location:4 Bokoi Minami-cho, Muroran City, Hokkaido
For inquiries, please contact: 0143-23-0102 / Muroran Tourism Association
Transportation: (Train) JR Bokoi Station → 5-minute drive
Transportation: (By car) 15km (30 minutes) from Noboribetsu-Muroran IC on the Hokkaido Expressway via National Route 36.
Parking: Free. 30 spaces for regular cars, 6 spaces for large vehicles.
Changes in sunrise time: Around 7:00 AM on the winter solstice to around 4:00 AM on the summer solstice.
Time of first sunrise: around 7:01

Notoro Cape is a beautiful cape located on the outskirts of Abashiri City, and it is always beautiful throughout the year. The peak season is especially from March to April when drift ice rolls in.

Due to the shape of the cape, drift ice tends to gather around Cape Notoro, and the sunrise that rises as if splitting through the ice will give travelers a lifelong memory.

The sun rises, shimmering as if warming the entire ocean, which is so covered in drift ice that it could be mistaken for a snowfield. The drift ice sparkles in the distance, bathed in that light, while diamond dust, close to the viewer, scatters the light in a dazzling array.

In a world of minus 20 degrees Celsius, a harmony unfolds as if everything were designed by God.

Image source:navy / PIXTA(Pixta)

On clear winter days, you can enjoy the exquisite sight of the Shiretoko Peninsula and the rising sun aligning perfectly.

The Okhotsk region, with its little snow and rain, is an ideal place to enjoy the sunrise; you can enjoy the morning sun rising over the sea from various locations and angles.
Mount Tento in Abashiri is one such spot, and there are also plans to enjoy the first sunrise of the year aboard the drift ice sightseeing boat, Garinko.

If you're going for New Year's, that's also a good option. You'll definitely feel the cold even in June, so you need to take appropriate precautions for each season.

Basic Information
Address : Misaki, Abashiri City, Hokkaido
Inquiries: 0152-44-6111 Abashiri City Tourism Division
Transportation: (Train) Approximately 20 minutes by car from JR Abashiri Station.
(By car) Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes from Maruseppu Interchange on the Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway.
Parking: Free, 50 spaces
Typically, there are no public transportation services running during the time when people can catch the first sunrise of the year.
Changes in sunrise time: Around 6:55 AM on the winter solstice to around 3:40 AM on the summer solstice.
Time of first sunrise: around 6:56

And now, to conclude our list of the best sunrise spots, we have Bihoro Pass, said to be one of the most famous places in eastern Hokkaido to watch the first sunrise of the year.

Bihoro Pass is known as a viewpoint offering a panoramic view of Lake Kussharo, Japan's largest caldera lake, and you can see just how appealing it is from the following photos.

That's right, the charm of the sunrise at Bihoro Pass lies in the sea of ​​clouds. Whether or not a sea of ​​clouds forms depends on the weather conditions, but if you're lucky enough to see one, you can enjoy both the sunrise and the sea of ​​clouds.

Of course, mornings without a sea of ​​clouds are also magnificent. You can enjoy the beautiful sunrise as Lake Kussharo is illuminated in a reddish glow.

Furthermore, for the first sunrise of 2016, the observation lounge at the Bihoro Pass Rest House will be open, so you can wait and watch in a warm place, which is a nice bonus.

First Sunrise Festival, January 1st, 2016, 6:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Inquiries: 0152-73-1111 Bihoro Town Commerce and Tourism Group
http://www.town.bihoro.hokkaido.jp/docs/2014122900030/

Basic Information
Address Kobai, Bihoro-cho, Abashiri-gun (Bihoro Pass Rest House)
Inquiries: 0152-73-1111 Bihoro Town Commerce and Tourism Group
Transportation: Approximately 50 minutes by car from Memanbetsu Airport, approximately 1 hour by car from Kitami City.
Parking: Free
Typically, there are no public transportation services running during the time when people can catch the first sunrise of the year.
Changes in sunrise time: Around 6:55 AM on the winter solstice to around 3:40 AM on the summer solstice.
Time of first sunrise: around 6:56

【Related article】
- The spectacular sea of ​​clouds spreading over Lake Kussharo, Japan's largest caldera [Tsubetsu Pass, Bihoro Pass, Lake Mashu Observatory, Mt. Mokoto]

Summary

So, what did you think? We've shown you sunrise spots from central Hokkaido to eastern and northern Hokkaido.

Even if it's not the first sunrise of the year, sunrises are wonderful. They are beautiful.

There are still many spots in Hokkaido that possess the conditions for beauty, such as the absence of obstructions like tall buildings.

And it is up to the person who sees the sunrise, the first sunrise of the year, to decide which one is the most beautiful.

You get to see, and you decide, the best sunrise in Hokkaido. I encourage you to challenge yourself as a sunrise hunter in search of that perfect sunrise.

Please also check out these related articles.

• 

  Autumn is in full swing in Hokkaido! Here's a roundup of must-see sights and events in October!

• 

  A holiday enjoying trekking on Mount Tarumae, hot springs, and gourmet food!

• 

  Enjoy Hokkaido to the fullest with a rental car! 5 recommended scenic mountain passes by Hokkaido residents

• 

  The Shinkansen is about to open! All the sightseeing spots and highlights in southern Hokkaido!

• 

  I was captivated by the beauty of its exterior! I went to the elegant Old Hakodate Public Hall!

• 

  Be captivated by the chrysanthemum dolls at the Kitami Chrysanthemum Festival! The allure of chrysanthemums that evokes the feeling of autumn.

• 

  Four places in Hakodate associated with Ishikawa Takuboku, where he spent 132 days.

• 

  [Takinoue, a famous spot for moss phlox] The mountain is covered in pink! The moss phlox festival in Takinoue Town heralds the arrival of spring.

Introducing our sister site (please check it out if you're interested)