Rishiri Island and Rebun Island are known as the northernmost remote islands of Japan. In the summer, festivals are held and the whole island is in a festive mood. Why don't you try participating in one of these festivals? In this article, we will introduce the many festivals that are unique to remote islands, as well as another fun thing to do, popular souvenirs!

First, let's introduce the festivals on Rishiri Island! Rishirifuji Town will be holding the Hokkaido Island Festival, Rishiri Island's biggest summer event, from August 3rd (Wed) to 4th (Thu). On the 3rd, at a special venue near Sea Station Oshidomari (Oshidomari Ferry Terminal), there will be plenty of gourmet food, including sea urchin rice bowls and grilled seafood! This is also the day when local specialties are sold at bargain prices, so be sure to grab a bargain.

Also, on the 4th, a fireworks display will be held at Oshidomari Port, lighting up the night sky! The Hokkaido Island Festival will lead to the Rishiri Floating Island Festival, which will be held in Rishiri Town from August 5th (Friday) to 6th (Saturday), and the whole island will be in a festive mood.

The Rishiri Ukishima Festival will be held in the Kutsugata district on the 5th and in the Senhoshi district on the 6th, but the content will differ slightly depending on the district. You'll have no choice but to participate on both days! Please note that measures will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so we ask for your understanding and cooperation.

And on Sunday, August 28th, the "Interactive Cycling Tour Around Rishiri Island" will be held.

This event involves cycling around Rishiri Island, connecting the cycling road (25km) and the general road (35km). It is a popular event, and many participants have cycled through the natural beauty of Rishiri Island, aiming for the hot spring resort at the finish line. There is no entry fee, and participation prizes and bicycle ferry fare (return trip) will also be subsidized, so please come along!

Rebun Island will also be holding a fisheries festival from 11am to 2pm on Saturday, July 23rd. This festival is also called the Umebeya Festival, and as the name suggests, it will bring together a huge selection of delicious foods from Rebun Island! You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to what to eat, including grilled sea urchin, grilled whelk, grilled octopus, and shrimp miso soup.

There are also areas where you can enjoy free activities such as a sea urchin peeling experience and a Atka mackerel tasting corner. The sea urchin peeling experience is especially popular and is limited to the first 100 people, so be sure to get there early!

The biggest event on Rebun Island is the Rebun Hometown Festival, which is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, August 10th, and a special venue will be lined with stalls.

Savoring Rebun Island's specialties and sipping delicious alcohol will naturally bring smiles to your face. A fireworks display is also planned, and many islanders seem to be looking forward to it. However, the events on Rishiri and Rebun Islands introduced here may be subject to change depending on the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Please check the official websites of each local government frequently to get the latest information.

Souvenirs are an essential part of travel. When talking about the specialty of Rishiri Island, the first thing that comes to mind is probably "Rishiri kelp." In fact, Rishiri kelp is not only harvested on Rishiri Island, but also includes kelp harvested in the northern part of Hokkaido, such as Rebun Island and Wakkanai. However, Rishiri kelp-related items are still the most popular souvenirs from Rishiri Island.

Of course, Rishiri kelp itself remains the undisputed number one souvenir. Other than that, products that allow you to taste the broth unique to high-quality kelp, such as dried noodles kneaded with Rishiri kelp and soup curry made with Rishiri kelp, are also popular as souvenirs. Many people seem to buy them for themselves. Also, the Rishiri Ramen Miraku instant noodles, which have been featured in many media outlets, are a hot topic!

Rishiri Island is also home to adorable mascot characters, and a variety of original goods are on sale. Firstly, Rishirifuji Town's "Rippu-kun" and "Rippu-chan" are characters based on the chipmunks that live on Mount Rishiri. They are apparently brothers. And you can probably guess what Rishiri Town's "Rishirin" is based on, right? It's a mysteriously cute and charming character made from Rishiri kelp. Local mascot goods are sure to make interesting souvenirs.

Also, the original products at the Inn's shop are extremely popular. Colorful and cute Mount Rishiri goods such as "Mount Rishiri Outdoor Socks" and "Rishiri Hand Towels" are eye-catching. They are soft to the touch, and couples and families will want to buy matching sets!

On the other hand, on Rebun Island, the most popular standard souvenir is Rishiri kelp itself. The rich, refined broth that is unique to Rishiri kelp, which is rubbed by rough waves along the coast, is irreplaceable. Tororo kelp, which allows you to enjoy Rishiri kelp more easily, also seems to be a good souvenir. Another point is that the package clearly says "Rebun Island"!

Another specialty of Rebun Island, along with Rishiri kelp, is sea urchin. In addition to fresh sea urchin, sea urchin is processed in various ways as a souvenir, such as frozen sea urchin and bottled sea urchin, but the somewhat unusual canned sea urchin is also recommended. Sea urchins are caught by the island's fishermen and carefully peeled one by one, and happiness spreads with every bite. You may have a hard time deciding whether to buy purple sea urchin or Bafun sea urchin.

Among the wide variety of seafood and processed marine products, you will often see processed Atka mackerel. Filleted Atka mackerel, smoked Atka mackerel, and bran Atka mackerel are all popular products in Hokkaido. On both Rishiri Island and Rebun Island, there are many things you'll want to take home as souvenirs, but there are also so many things you'll want to buy for yourself that you may end up overbuying. When you return home after your trip, it's also fun to taste the local specialties you brought back and relive the fun memories.