September 9, 2025
Day 7 — Rishiri Island to Rebun Island
Marilee here.
The trickster gods of weather were having fun with us again. We were up very early, because somewhere nearby the campground was a loudspeaker that played chimes and a recorded wake up greeting, first at about 4:30 am (!), then again at 7am. This happened both days we were there. The second iteration was entirely unnecessary, as we’d been wide awake for two hours wondering WTF that 4:30 wake-up music was about.
Just as we were starting breakfast, a bank of low dark ominous clouds moved in and it started raining — hard. Then the wind kicked up and the rain stepped up its act, and we scrambled around in a panic to bring the tent under shelter and started hastily packing up dripping belongings.
You know what happened next. We finished packing, swallowed the remains of breakfast, and ….the sun came out.
The goal for the morning was to get back to the ferry terminal in time for a 9:30 crossing to the island of Rebun, just to the north of us. We were again on the lovely cycle path, but this time
- heading east, not west
- With a tailwind, not a howling headwind
- In the morning.
And for the first time since arriving we had almost completely cloud-free views of Mt. Rishiri, the Fuji-like volcano at the centre of this tiny island.
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And the annoying 0430 call on the loudspeaker I was told had something to do with being an up and at ‘em’ for the fishers.
4 months ago
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As the ferry pulled away from the island we got a great view of some of the bridges we had crossed the day before, up in the hills above town. Seen from a distance they are even more impressive!
Rebun island is even smaller than Rishiri, just 27km from end to end, and with only one road running the length of the island. The middle of the island is a high ridge of hills and from the looks of the other ferry passengers, most visitors come to hike the island’s trails (just as some come to Rishiri to summit the volcano). We shared the lovely municipal campground, a few km out of town, with several serious-looking, solitary hikers.
The hills looked pretty tempting, but so did the road. We set off for the northern tip, swooping along the coast with a beautiful tailwind, passing through several covered snow-sheds along the way. The narrow road hugged the coast almost the whole way, so we had waves crashing on one side and hills rearing up on the other. Somehow the islanders have managed to squeeze tiny fishing villages into this very limited space, and with the bare hills all around they looked from a distance a little like Newfoundland outport towns.
At the tip of the island, at Fundamori Bay, we discovered a long, lovely fine sand beach, and I was tempted to swim. I waded — the water was soooo nice and warm — but restrained myself from plunging in the whole way.
We climbed up to a temple for a view over the town, then headed back in the direction we’d come from.
We ended the day with an onsen bath — the outside pools at the onsen had views back to Rishiri — and an early dinner in a local seafood restaurant.
Today's ride: 78 km (48 miles)
Total: 227 km (141 miles)
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