Shiretoko Peninsula

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Lore & Background

The Shiretoko Peninsula is bounded on the northwest side by the Sea of Okhotsk and the southeast side by the Pacific Ocean. To the east, Kunashiri Island runs parallel to the peninsula and can be seen from it. Kunashiri has been occupied by Russia since September 1, 1945, and is disputed by Japan. The cold Oyashio Current flows southwest along the east side of the peninsula, and the Soya Current flows southeast from the Sea of Okhotsk until it is redirected north along the west side. In winter, the Soya Current carries sea ice south from the Sea of Okhotsk where it dams along the west side of the Shiretoko Peninsula, resulting in the lowest latitude regularly occurring sea ice on earth at 43 degrees north. From Shiretoko Cape at the tip of the peninsula, a series of volcanoes runs down the peninsula, including Mount Shiretoko, Mount Unabetsu, and Mount Iō. It is part of the Chishima volcanic zone. The highest peak is Mount Rausu. The volcanic zone has made several onsen possible, including Seseki Onsen and Iwaobetsu Onsen. The Oyashio Current profoundly impacts the weather, causing fog on the southeastern coast and sea ice in the winter. Snow covers the peaks from September to June, except the very highest peaks, which retain snow all summer long. The peninsula is home to a large number of Ussuri brown bears, red foxes, and sika deer. The waters are regarded as one of the most significant habitat areas for orcas in the northwestern Pacific. A notable mass stranding of twelve animals occurred in February 2005, with nine animals dying. In 2019 and 2021, several white orca individuals were sighted. The last confirmed record of Japanese otter in Hokkaido was from the Shari River.

Reader's Guide

The Shiretoko Peninsula covers some 123,000 hectares (470 sq mi), stretching 70 kilometers long and 25 kilometers wide at its base. It was designated Shiretoko National Park in 1964, subject to strict regulation as a nature preserve where entering is prohibited. The peninsula is one of the few places where groups of male sperm whales and beaked whales including Baird's beaked whales can be spotted from the shore. Other frequently seen species include minke whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, Dall's porpoises, and harbour porpoises. Endangered populations of humpback whales and fin whales in the Sea of Okhotsk have started to recover in recent years. North Pacific right whales have been observed close to the shore on the Sea of Okhotsk side several times, including in 2013, 2018, and 2019. From June 21 to 23, 2015, the first ever sighting of a bowhead whale in the Japanese EEZ occurred. The strong subarctic ocean current makes it difficult for boats to navigate. On April 23, 2022, a 19-ton tourist boat with 26 people on board sank during a tour around the peninsula. The boat was found 100 meters below sea level near Kashuni Falls. The bodies of 14 people were found and 12 went missing. Notable flora includes endemic Cymathaere japonica and endangered species such as Viola kitamiana, whose Japanese name was named after the Shiretoko Peninsula.

Did You Know?

• The name Shiretoko comes from the Ainu word sir etok, meaning 'the end of the Earth' or 'the place where the Earth protrudes.'
• Kunashiri Island, visible from the peninsula, has been occupied by Russia since September 1, 1945, and is disputed by Japan.
• A mass stranding of twelve orcas occurred in February 2005, with nine animals dying.
• The first ever sighting of a bowhead whale in the Japanese EEZ occurred from June 21 to 23, 2015.
• The last confirmed record of Japanese otter in Hokkaido was from the Shari River on the peninsula.