Rishiri Island Onsen

Rishiri Island Onsen, on the volcanic island of Rishiri accessible by ferry from Wakkanai and visible from the Hokkaido mainland as a perfectly conical peak rising 1,721 metres from the Sea of Japan, offers chloride thermal bathing in the shadow of one of Japan's most magnificent insular volcanoes — a mountain so shapely it is often compared to Mount Fuji by Japanese visitors. The saline chloride thermal waters of Rishiri's coastal springs provide warmth and restoration in a community where livelihoods of fishing and kelp harvesting have shaped island culture for centuries, and where the surrounding waters produce Rishiri konbu — the most prized grade of Japanese kelp, forming the basis of the finest dashi broths in Japanese cuisine. The circumferential coastal road with panoramic views of Mount Rishiri's volcanic summit reflected in the Himenuma pond, and the challenging mountain trail to the crater, make Rishiri Island Onsen a destination combining thermal bathing with genuine alpine and maritime wilderness.