Rishiri
利尻45°15′ N 141°13′ ETownPop. 3,870Far edges
Rishiri-zan rises straight out of the Sea of Japan off Hokkaido's northern tip, and riders take the ferry from Wakkanai to tour it in spring.
Photo 663highland · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Come to Rishiri for a guided touring trip on a volcano that drops into the sea. It suits experienced backcountry riders with flexible dates, since ferries and flights both stop in bad weather.
The name
ri-sir
リ・シㇼThe high island
ainu
Ri (high) and sir (land, island) describe a volcano rising straight out of the sea. Both towns on the island, Rishiri and Rishirifuji, take their names from it. Many smaller place names around the coast are Ainu too: Oniwaki from onne-waki and Senposhi from chep-po-ushi ('where the small fish are plentiful'). The population is the combined total of Rishiri and Rishirifuji towns on 1 January 2026.
SourceEat · 食べる
Rishiri Ramen Miraku利尻らーめん味楽 本店ramen¥
Miraku makes yaki-shoyu ramen on a seared soy sauce base in Kutsugata and has twice been listed as a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Lunch only, 11:30–14:00 outside summer; closed Thursdays. A sign-up board goes out before 10:00.
Rishiri Furusato Shokudoizakaya¥¥
Soba at lunch and yakiniku and drinks at night in Kutsugata. Closed Sundays.
GRANDSPOTcurry¥
This Oshidomari shop serves curry and ramen 11:00–19:00.
Drink · 飲む
Porto Coffeecoffee
This harbour café in Oshidomari sits by the ferry terminal and opens 8:00–16:30. Closed Tuesdays.
Do · 遊ぶ
Rishiri-zan ski touringactivity
Guides lead tours on the 1,721 m volcano, usually from late winter into spring. Weather on the island changes fast; plan spare days.
Rishiri Fuji Onsenactivity
The island's hot spring near Oshidomari is the place to thaw out after a day on the mountain.
Rishiri is a single volcano that rises 1,721 metres out of the Sea of Japan off the northern tip of Hokkaido. The ferry from Wakkanai takes an hour and forty minutes. In winter the island is quiet to the point of emptiness. The kelp drying racks along the shore stand bare and the summer uni shops are shut. North winds bring snow squalls across the water one after another, and when a high-pressure system finally settles, the whole cone turns white from summit to shoreline.
Riders come to tour Rishiri-zan, which has no lifts at all and long radial gullies that run almost to the sea. Most go with a local guide in late winter and spring, when the days lengthen and the snowpack settles. Stay in Oshidomari by the ferry port. Miraku in Kutsugata has twice been a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick, and people queue before opening for its yaki-shoyu ramen made with seared soy sauce. Have coffee at Porto by the harbour while you wait for the boat.
Quick answers about Rishiriよくある質問
What does the name Rishiri mean?
Rishiri comes from the local name ri-sir, meaning the high island. Ri (high) and sir (land, island) describe a volcano rising straight out of the sea. Both towns on the island, Rishiri and Rishirifuji, take their names from it. Many smaller place names around the coast are Ainu too: Oniwaki from onne-waki and Senposhi from chep-po-ushi ('where the small fish are plentiful'). The population is the combined total of Rishiri and Rishirifuji towns on 1 January 2026.
Is Rishiri a good place to stay?
Come to Rishiri for a guided touring trip on a volcano that drops into the sea. It suits experienced backcountry riders with flexible dates, since ferries and flights both stop in bad weather.
How do you get to Rishiri?
Heart Land Ferry sails from Wakkanai to Oshidomari in about 1 hr 40 min. Flights to Rishiri Airport run from Sapporo Okadama through the year, while the New Chitose route is summer only. Limited express trains take about five hours from Sapporo to Wakkanai. Island buses and rental cars get you around.
Hot springs nearby温泉
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