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If I’m trustworthy, I can’t bear in mind after I heard about Rishiri and Rebun for the primary time. I knew it was when a Japanese acquaintance of mine went there just a few years in the past, however I don’t recall something past that.
It’s not necessary, in fact. His journey planted the seed and, though it took a very long time to germinate, I did lastly make it to each of those islands.
Certainly, though it doesn’t make a lot sense to go to one and never the opposite, I do assume there’s worth in evaluating Rishiri vs Rebun. I hope you’ll proceed studying—and that, when you do lastly take your personal journey, you’ll consider this put up as you journey!
Why I Lastly Visited Rishiri and Rebun
I didn’t have Rishiri or Rebun on my thoughts, at the least not instantly, after I first began planning the journey that in the end noticed me go to them. You see, I had lastly managed to ebook a seat in JAL’s new firstclass utilizing miles and factors. The catch? With a view to unlock availability, I needed to “marry” a home Sapporo-Tokyo section onto my important Tokyo-Dallas flight. In different phrases, I wanted to start out my journey in Hokkaido.
Though I couldn’t merely flown from Thailand (the place I knew I’d begin my journey) to Sapporo and related with out leaving the airport, this felt like a waste. Equally, I’ve additionally explored the mainland of Hokkaido fairly extensively in the course of the summer season months. It took a little bit of considering, however finally a lightweight bulb went off: This might be my greatest alternative but to discover Rebun and Rishiri.
Rebun
Methods to Examine Rishiri with Rebun
Getting there and round
Each of those islands are distant, and are accessible solely through ferry (from Wakkanai and from each other) or by airplane from Sapporo-New Chitose (CTS) airport. Likewise, whereas there are a restricted variety of bus excursions that may enable you to get round, the most suitable choice by far is to lease your personal automobile. Observe, nonetheless, that that is each costlier and extra sophisticated (you must name) than doing so on the mainland.
Issues to do
Likewise, there’s similarity on this entrance: A lot of the sights that particular each Rishiri and Rebun are scenic in nature, and are discoverable at the least as a lot by driving and stopping the place you are feeling compelled as they’re by working off of an inventory. Fortunately, the small dimension of every island signifies that when you get a lay of the land, that is fairly straightforward to do.
Meals, drink and hospitality
Would you consider that I didn’t have a single property meal in Rebun, other than my lodge’s breakfast? I tried to have lunch, however waited in line for over an hour to be turned away one minute after the place closed. The excellent news? The uni don was extra ample, brisker and cheaper on Rishiri. The not-as-good information? Each islands depart loads to be desired in the case of lodging.
Tourism infrastructure
I discussed earlier that whether or not you’re on Rebun or Rishiri, feeling your method round is a extra productive method of sightseeing than ticking gadgets off an inventory. The slight complication, for Rebun, is that its roads solely go about three quarters of the way in which across the island, that means you’ll have to be barely extra strategic. That is additionally key as a result of whereas there are customer-facing companies throughout Rishiri, Rebun feels abandoned outdoors its one “huge” city.
Foreigner-friendliness
I communicate Japanese (albeit poorly), so I used to be not as susceptible to the shortage of English-language potential on these islands as another vacationers can be. Despite this (and despite the truth that just a few folks I spoke with appeared to imagine that I couldn’t communicate Japanese), I’d say that neither island gave me main xenophobic vibes. Nicely, aside from the aforementioned seafood bowl restaurant—their rejection of me appeared a bit too handy.
Rishiri
Are Rishiri and Rebun Price Visiting?
Each Rishiri and Rebun punch far above their weight as locations, particularly when you disconnect from the standard methods you would possibly discover someplace in Japan, and settle into island life. This may appear tough on a brief journey—you’re unlikely to spend greater than an evening or two in both place—however I promise you it’s straightforward. The second you have a look at Google Maps for the final time is when your journey really begins.
To make certain, I bear in mind how after making one full journey round Rebun’s main points of interest, I merely adopted my eye—it was additionally about photographing the island because it contrasted to Rishiri, which loomed within the distance. Likewise, the straightforward job of circumnavigating Rishiri’s ring highway gave me the liberty to cease off each time I needed, as a substitute of ticking gadgets off an inventory. Merely put, these islands will exceed no matter expectations you’ve gotten of them.
Different FAQ About Rebun and Rishiri
Is Rishiri or Rebun higher for vacationers?
Rishiri has two main benefits over Rebun: It’s extra developed with a wider vary of motels and eating places; and its important highway goes all the way in which across the island, permitting you to circumnavigate in each instructions. Then again, Rebun has the benefit of Rishiri looming over it from a number of angles, which makes it a extra dramatic photographic topic.
Why are rental vehicles so costly in Rishiri and Rebun?
Rental vehicles are costly in each Rishiri and Rebun due to a scarcity of provide. There are only some rental shops on every island, and possibly a few dozen autos between all of them. Plus, the price of transportation autos to the islands and sustaining them is priced into the every day rental price, which may simply exceed ¥20,000 for a small automobile.
Are there flights to Rishiri and Rebun?
Each Rishiri and Rebun have airports, which have every day flights to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport. With this being stated, it’s not unusual for these flights to be canceled on account of climate situations, particularly in the course of the winter months. Because of this, I like to recommend placing a backup plan in place—specifically, a ferry again to Wakkanai, and a flight from there to Sapporo or Tokyo.
The Backside Line
Evaluating Rishiri vs Rebun isn’t vital—you’ll most likely go to each islands for those who go to 1—however it may be useful. In some sense, I’d say that Rishiri is the extra necessary and spectacular of the 2. Even when on Rebun, it looms massive within the distance; there’s by no means actually a second when it isn’t at the least in your thoughts. Likewise, I frankly favor sure issues about Rishiri, corresponding to its a lot greater degree of growth, and the truth that you possibly can drive the complete method across the island. Regardless, I do hope you’ll give every island the chance to impress you—and that you simply’ll rent me to plan your journey, to verify it hits all the fitting notes.
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