Cape Notoro jutting out into the Sea of Okhotsk in Abashiri City's Misaki

It is a cape jutting out into the Sea of Okhotsk, with only a lighthouse and an office at its tip. From here you can see Lake Notoro and the coast of Tokoro Town to the west, the Sea of Okhotsk to the north, and the Shiretoko mountain range in the distance to the east. In winter, you can see drift ice earlier than anywhere in Abashiri, and the views are amazing.

Cape Notoro is pitch black at night all year round, so on clear days it is the best spot to photograph the stars. On some days, you may be able to see many shooting stars. It is a good idea to bring a light to illuminate your feet while moving around. However, please be aware that many wild animals such as Ezo deer and Ezo red foxes may appear.

Notoro Cape Lighthouse is 21m above ground and 57m above sea level, and flashes once every 8 seconds, with a light that reaches up to 36km. This lighthouse was first lit in 1917 (Taisho 6). It is the oldest reinforced concrete lighthouse in Hokkaido, and has been shining continuously for over a century.

The name "Notoro" comes from the Ainu word "No-Oro," which means "at the cape." It is also famous as a location for the Toyota Prius commercial and for the movies "Helen the Baby Fox," "The Chef of Antarctica," and "How to Get Your Targeted Love."