Weekend 103: October 21 – 22, 2023
Day 719: October 21, 2023
Saturday – Hiking Mt. Rishiri
Our alarm rang at 3:30 AM. In just 30 minutes, we managed to eat breakfast, pack our things, and make our beds before checking out.
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| The trailhead of Mt. Rishiri - the cemented road ends here |
At 4 AM, we left Rishiri Island Campsite “Yuni” and walked for 40 minutes to Rishiri Hokuroku Campsite, the jump-off point for the Oshidomari Route of the Mt. Rishiri hike.
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| Kanro Spring - The only water source on the mountain |
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| We had a quick rest after a few hours of hiking |
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| Once we got to the 5th station, there was already some snow on some plants |
To our surprise, we reached the first five stations earlier than expected. However, snow was already visible at the 5th station (610m), and from there it only became heavier. By the time we reached the 6th station (760m), we had to put on crampons.
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| ... and it's already winter when we got to the 7th station |
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| It got thicker the higher we got |
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| Thank goodness there was a hut on the mountain. We were able to rest for a bit. |
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| Inside the Oshidomari Course Emergency Shelter |
Since we were the only ones on the mountain, there were no tracks ahead. Matsushita-sensei had to wade through knee-deep snow to create a path for us, which naturally slowed our pace.
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| The peak of Mt. Rishiri can already be seen |
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| Heading back down |
Just a few meters away from the 9th station (1410m), we decided to turn back instead of pushing for the summit—not because of fatigue or fear, but because we needed to catch the last ferry to Wakkanai City at 4:30 PM. Missing it would have meant staying another night on the island.
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| Back on the road... |
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| We didn't miss the chance to try the takoyaki on our way to the ferry terminal |
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| Mt. Rishiri as seen from Rishiri Fantastic Road |
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| Cape Peshi |
It was the right decision. We arrived back at the jump-off point around 3 PM, then walked another hour to Oshidomari Port Ferry Terminal.
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| Oshidomari Port Ferry Terminal |
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| Waiting for the ferry to arrive... |
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| I'm happy I was able to sleep for a bit during our ferry ride back to Wakkanai City |
On the ferry ride, my adrenaline finally wore off, and I slept the whole way. Upon arriving at Heartland Ferry Wakkanai Port, we drove to Yamaokaya Wakkanaiten to eat dinner before driving home.
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| Dinner at Yamaokaya Wakkanaiten |
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| I ordered my favorite Miso ramen |
The drive back to Tomamae was long. I wanted to sleep, but I didn’t want to leave Matsushita-sensei alone at the wheel, so I stayed awake as his co-pilot. After dropping Jon off, we headed to Matsushita-sensei’s place, where my car, Ruru, was parked. From there, I drove another hour alone back to Rumoi City.
It was a tiring yet fulfilling day. Although we didn’t reach Mt. Rishiri’s peak, it only means we’ll return someday to conquer it.
Day 720: October 22, 2023
Sunday – Rumoi
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| Our breakfast for today - quesadilla |
The rain poured steadily this morning, and the gloomy skies were expected to linger until 9 PM. Thankfully, I was wrapped in the comfort of my bed instead of braving the mountain once again. The soreness from yesterday’s hike reminded me of the grueling journey, so I granted myself a few extra hours of rest to let my weary muscles recover.
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| 7-Eleven Rumoi Minamimachi |
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| Jabba Laundromat |
By afternoon, errands pulled us out of the house. We headed to 7-Eleven Rumoi Minamimachi to pay bills, then stopped by Jabba Laundromat to dry freshly washed clothes.
Grocery shopping at COOP
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| Employee competition - cute! |
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| Who needs one piece of shrimp? |
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| Halloween is coming... |
All morning, Ella had been asking to eat at a yakiniku restaurant. To satisfy her craving, we went to COOP for groceries, filling our basket with meats and essentials. In the end, we opted to enjoy yakiniku at home—a feast for the whole family at the cost of just one restaurant meal.
Yakiniku Night
That evening, we gathered around the table for our long-overdue yakiniku dinner at home. Each bite felt like reliving a cherished memory.
Looking back, this weekend was both exhausting and rewarding. I had the thrill of climbing Mt. Rishiri with wonderful friends and the warmth of sharing a hearty meal with family. The only catch? The scale might soon reveal a few extra pounds—likely more than what I burned on the mountain.
Read more:
Japan Diaries 4: Week 103
Japan Diaries 4: Day 719
Mt. Rishiri
Rishiri Island Campsite Yuni
Shukei Pond
Rishirizan Shrine
10 Things to Do in Rishirifuji
Hokkaido Manhole Covers
10 Things to Do in Wakkanai City
10 More Things to Do in Wakkanai City
10 Things to Do in Rumoi City
10 More Things to Do in Rumoi City
Hokkaido 179
Japan Diaries 4: Summary
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Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 102
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