Getting Started
Mt. Rausu in Shiretoko National Park is a must-visit for those seeking a truly immersive nature experience, offering stunning wildlife encounters amidst pristine natural beauty. Best season is July ~ early September.
Unless you are doing a road trip around Hokkaido, your best bet is to fly to the nearest airport, Memanbetsu Airport. Get a car, because Hokkaido is humongous. I would consider staying in Utoro Town the night before and after the hike but you can also stay at Chinohate Hotel where the trailhead is located.
We hike from Iwaobetsu Trailhead, located behind Chinohate Hotel.
The Trail
The Iwaobetsu Trail takes 10~12 hours so make sure to start by 6AM. Use the washroom at the trailhead because there are none on this trail. Consider bringing a "portable toilet" (携帯トイレ). Here's a list of places where you can find them. You'll find three water refill spots along the trail, so carrying 1L should be sufficient. If you're going to be camping, there are campsites near the summit with great view. I marked one on the map but there are more.
6:00 Start from Iwaobetsu Trailhead. Kinoshitagoya is a cost-effective mountain hut that offers minimal service, but it provides accommodation for as low as 2500 yen.
The initial section of the trail is mostly surrounded by trees, and I personally enjoyed this part of the hike as the trees elegantly curve around the trailhead.
8:00 After 2 hours of navigating through the trees, you'll reach a viewpoint where you can behold the Okhotsk Sea, and from there on, you'll have an unobstructed view of the sea for the rest of your hike. Expect snow if you go between October and June.
10:00 Rausu Daira, a flat section of the trail, is an ideal spot for a lunch break or even camping.
From here the summit is less than an hour but it gets quite steep. Hiking poles can prove to be useful as even in July, there was a section covered in snow.
The ascent to the summit becomes more rugged during the final stretch but still very much doable for anyone.
11:00 Summit! The view is nothing short of fantastic and the expanse of the sea of cloud was breathtaking!
It got cloudy really fast before we could take a group photo.
I would recommend eating at a different location since the summit is quite uneven.
12:00 Lunch time! I would suggest eating lunch at Rausu Daira since the area is flat with places to sit.
There are three water refill spots along the trail so you are never short on water.
16:00 Return to the trailhead all sweaty and tired. You may want to consider visiting a day spa to relax and rejuvenate.
My Recommendation
Staying at Chinohate Hotel is the most convenient option since it's located right at the trailhead. If you're not planning to stay overnight, you can still enjoy their day spa plans, although the closing hours may vary between 4:00 PM and 6:30 PM.
Bear awareness is crucial when hiking in Shiretoko due to its high concentration of bears. Mt. Rausu supposedly has the highest concentration of bears in the entirety of Japan. There is a bear sighting map at the entrance. If and when you see a bear, follow these procedures.
