Activities to Enjoy on Rebun Island

Rebun Island has seven trail courses, and a challenge event called "Rebun Island Trail Seven - Conquer All 7 Courses!" was renewed and launched on June 1, 2022.

Each of these seven trail courses is unique and varies in length. For example, the "Momoiwa Observatory Course" in the southern part of Rebun Island, about 7.1 km long, takes you through fields of alpine flowers with Mt. Rishiri floating in the sea as a backdrop. In fact, the entire area around Momoiwa is a popular tourist spot, designated as a national natural monument for its abundance of rare plants! Just walking here will lift your spirits.

The northern area also has a trail course where you can enjoy scenic spots. This is the "Cape Tour Course," which is about 12.4 km long. Starting from Cape Sukoton, the northernmost tip of Rebun Island, you'll walk past Cape Gorota, where you can enjoy alpine plants, and Cape Sukai, where you can see the clear sea known as "Rebun Blue." Along the way, there is a habitat of the Rebun lady's slipper orchid (*Cypripedium macranthos var. rebunense*), which is open depending on the flowering season (usually late May to mid-June).

For something more casual, how about the "Lake Kushu Lakeside Course," a 4.2 km walk around Lake Kushu in the northern part of Rebun Island? Besides observing wetland plants, you might also encounter migratory birds in spring and autumn. There are many other intriguing courses, such as the "Rebun Waterfall Course" and the "8-Hour Course" for advanced hikers!

By the way, to participate in the "Rebun Island Trail Seven - Conquer All 7 Courses!", you first need to purchase a stamp rally card at a tourist information center and download a smartphone app. For details, you can check the official website of the Rebun Island Tourist Association. Even if you can't conquer all the courses, there's a little something for completing just one, so why not give it a try?

Just like on Rishiri Island, renting a bicycle to enjoy cycling is also recommended. Even if you're not confident in your physical stamina, there are electric-assist bicycles for rent, so no worries! Many people use them not only to enjoy the scenery while riding but also to visit tourist spots like cafes and shrines.

Furthermore, Rebun Island has two campgrounds, "Midorigaoka Park Campground" and "Lake Kushu Lakeside Campground," and some people visit specifically for island camping. Using a campground as a base for trekking is also a great idea! Both have well-equipped administration buildings, and it seems the number of solo campers has been increasing recently. By the way, Rishiri Island also has campgrounds, so conquering both islands by camping could be fun!