A world away from the rest of Japan, Hokkaido is a rugged and wild island covered in mountains and forests, and surrounded by a sparkling blue ocean!
I was so excited to see this beautiful place, and the explorer in me immediately wanted to travel to the furthest corners of the island, to find the most off-the-beaten-track, untouched beauty and nature possible. I'm talking about the Shiretoko Peninsula; home to a stunning national park, where all roads end 3/4 of the way up, and the last part of land can only be viewed from the sea by taking a boat ride up the coastline! Ahhh, my kind of place!!
Home to brown bears, foxes, and deer, I couldn't wait to start exploring! And the perfect place to begin was with a hike around the Shiretoko Five Lakes!
This area is known for its beautiful scenery, but also it's dense brown bear population! So prior to hiking, it is necessary to watch a safety video explaining what to do if you encounter a bear, but also how to prevent encounters. This video had us both terrified and excited, having never faced this issue in Australia before!!
Nevertheless, we nervously set out onto the trail, closely following behind these Japanese men who seemed more organized and experienced than us with this issue.. and to be honest we thought maybe a bear would see them first and give us time to escape!! 😝😝
I'll ruin the suspense and tell you; we sadly (?) did not spot any bears on this trail, however what we experienced was a beautiful hike through forest and shrubbery, with each lake being more scenic than the last! Wow!!
There was a moment, however, where there was a rustling noise and sudden movement from a bush near me, and for a second my life flashed before my eyes!!... before seeing it was a small squirrel scurrying up onto a tree.. 😣😣😥
The final part of the 3km trail is a raised board walk, perfect for a better view of the area and landscape, as well as the nearby sea! And a great place to spot hidden wild animals if you are patient!
The approach thats been taken to the issue of humans and bears coexisting in this space is very special and deserves to be highlighted here: unlike many national parks, Shiretoko makes it clear that this space is the bears' natural habitat, and we as visitors should be cautious and respectful to them, as opposed to using traps, bait, etc or killing bears to keep the area "safe" for hikers. Acknowledging that this is their home is something that is very important to me as a hiker, and I was so pleased to see this approach here 💜
From the Shiretoko Five Lakes, it's easy to get a bus down to the Shiretoko Nature Center, where you can learn more about the area and wildlife that can be seen here, have some lunch, or buy the cutest souvenirs I've ever seen!
And a short but beautiful walk from the centre is the Furepe Waterfall, where the water falls down a spectacular drop into the ocean! This waterfall is unique because it is fed by ground water, so no river or water source can be seen!
I originally planned to camp on the Shiretoko Peninsula, but after seeing "beware of bears" signs in parking lots in the middle of Shari town, I was way too scared!! Luckily, there are some great places to stay, still in the wilderness, inside or just below the peninsula.
In Shari, the Clione Camp Guest House is a beautiful and cheap place to stay, with a small onsen and peaceful outdoor area, plus a kitchen for guests. From Shari, it's easy to hitchhike or take an expensive bus into the national park. Inside the Shiretoko National Park, I stayed at the Shiretoko Hostel Hanare; a small house with dorm rooms, a gorgeous lounge space and a microwave, next to a hotel of the same name where you can use the onsen too! The perfect way to relax after a long day of hiking!
The Shiretoko Peninsula is a truly wild and stunning place that met my already high, crazy excited expectations! The most beautiful landscapes can only be viewed by hiking or taking a boat ride around the peninsula, and I guarantee you will see some foxes or deer during your time here!
Or, if you are luckier than I was, you might even spot a bear!!
Thanks for reading guys, please follow or upvote if you enjoyed this 💜🌲