Mount Rishiri (Rishiri Fuji) & Otatomari Marsh

Category: Maritime Stratovolcano & Mirrored Alpine Marsh | Location: Rishirifuji-cho & Rishiri-cho, Rishiri-gun, Hokkaido 097-0101

Appearing like an immense maritime pyramid erupting directly out of the deep indigo waters of the Sea of Japan, Rishiri Island (*Rishiri-to*) is an almost perfectly circular volcanic island 16 kilometers in diameter, anchored twenty kilometers off Hokkaido’s northern coast. The entire landmass is defined by Mount Rishiri (*Rishiri-zan*)—a breathtaking 1,721-meter stratovolcano honored as Mountain Number One in Kyuya Fukada’s canonical register of 100 Famous Japanese Mountains (*Nihon Hyakumeizan*). Rising straight from sea level with no surrounding peaks, its breathtaking symmetry earned it the reverence of being known nationwide as *Rishiri Fuji*. The definitive vantage point to gaze upon this floating volcano is Otatomari Marsh (*Otatomari-numa*) on the southern shore. Encircled by a primeval forest of Sakhalin spruce and yellow birch, this tranquil 9-hectare freshwater lagoon acts as a liquid mirror, casting a flawless inverted reflection (*Sakasa Fuji*) of Rishiri Fuji’s snow-crested crown across its glass-like waters. This exact alpine composition was selected in 1976 as the iconic cover painting for Hokkaido’s most celebrated souvenir confection, the *Shiroi Koibito* chocolate biscuit box. Lakeside wooden huts serve sizzling grilled giant scallops with butter and artisanal kombu-infused soft cream. On the northern flank lies Lake Himenuma, another serene mirror tarn encircled by an elevated 1-kilometer cedar boardwalk where kingfishers and wild waterfowl glide peacefully beneath morning mists. Rishiri is also a legendary summit challenge for hikers, who tackle a grueling 10-to-12-hour climb ascending through creeping pine slopes to razor-sharp summit spires that deliver an endless 360-degree ocean horizon stretching from Siberia to the Japanese mainland. The island is easily circumnavigated via a scenic 63-kilometer coastal loop road, accessible via daily 50-minute flights from Sapporo Okadama Airport or comfortable 100-minute Heartland Ferries from Wakkanai Port.