One of Hokkaido's 179 towns
Okushiri奥尻町
An island of clear water, sea urchin and long memory
Hiyama region · Historic Esashi on the Japan Sea coast, and the island of Okushiri.
Okushiri is a Japan Sea island of uni, island-grown wine and the landmark 'kettle-handle' sea rock — with a moving tsunami memorial museum.
Okushiri is the only inhabited island off the Hiyama coast, sitting in the Japan Sea about two hours by ferry from Esashi. The water around it is so clear that locals call the color Okushiri Blue, and the shallows are rich in sea urchin. The island was hit by a tsunami in 1993 and has rebuilt around that memory, with a museum at Aonae on the southern tip. Come for the coast road with almost no traffic, the rock formations, the summer uni and a real sense of being far from everything.
Okushiri at a glance
- Region
- Hiyama (檜山)
- From New Chitose Airport
- Unrouted model: ~263 km · 4 h summer / 4.8 h winter
- From Sapporo
- Unrouted model: ~249 km · 3.8 h summer / 4.5 h winter
- Best season in Hiyama
- Summer suits coastal and island walks. If you are going for a festival or seafood, check event dates and seasonal availability first.
Model figures do not follow roads or account for passes or closures; they are not driving-time estimates. They assume straight-line distance × 1.35 and 65 km/h in summer / 55 km/h in winter. Check the actual route, breaks and road conditions. Model assumptions and limitations
What to see in Okushiri
Nabetsuru Rock
なべつる岩
The island's landmark: a natural rock arch shaped like a pot handle, standing in the sea just off the ferry port. Visible from the road the moment you arrive, and the first place most visitors go to see.
Okushiri Tsunami Museum
奥尻島津波館
A memorial museum at Aonae on the southern cape, telling the story of the 1993 earthquake and tsunami through the island's own records. A necessary stop to understand the place, and a calm one.
Miyatsu Benten Shrine
宮津弁天宮
A small shrine on a rock outcrop on the east coast, reached by stairs down and up again over the water. The view along the coast and back toward the mainland is the reward.
Mt. Tamashima lookout
球島山展望台
The island's easy summit, with a road most of the way up and a lookout that takes in the whole island and the sea on every side. On clear days the Hiyama coast shows on the horizon.
Getting to Okushiri
The main ferry runs from Esashi to Okushiri year-round, about two hours; a second route from Setana operates in summer. There is also a short flight from Hakodate Airport to Okushiri Airport. Take a car over or hire one on the island, because the coast road is the whole point. Getting to Esashi from Hakodate is about 1.5 hours by car.
Hiyama region: Reach Esashi from Hakodate by car or bus; ferries to Okushiri Island leave from Esashi, with sailings that vary by season.
When to visit Okushiri
June to August, when sea urchin season is open, the water is at its clearest and the coast road is dry. September is quieter and still good. Winter ferries run but the Japan Sea can cancel them, and most of the island shuts down.
What to eat in Okushiri
Sea urchin from the shallows is the reason many people come, eaten fresh in summer. Abalone, squid and seaweed come from the same water, and the island grows its own wine grapes, a rarity on a Japanese island.
Okushiri in context: the Hiyama region
Click a town to open its page
Okushiri is in the Hiyama region. This page introduces the town; the region guide below covers the wider area and neighbouring communities.
Hiyama is a region of seven towns in southwestern Hokkaido, including coastal towns, inland Imakane and offshore Okushiri Island. Esashi grew as a port in the herring trade, and you can walk past old merchant houses and the harbour and learn about local culture such as festivals and the Esashi Oiwake folk song.
Towns near Okushiri
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