[Travel Diary of Rebun Island] At the northernmost tip of Rebun Island lies Cape Sukoton. This scenic spot is popular among visitors to Rebun Island, with cliffs along the coast extending to form the cape. On clear days, you can see as far as Sakhalin. The uninhabited island visible offshore is Tod Island, home to seals, fur seals, and seagulls. At the café "Island People Rebun Island Main Store," located in this remote corner of Japan, there is a café corner where you can enjoy drinks and light meals. They also sell sea urchin and processed products from Rebun Island, as well as souvenirs from Hokkaido. During a trek, I stopped by Cape Sukoton, the farthest point in Japan, but the cold and strong winds drove me to take shelter in the café building for a while. [Taking a Break at Island People Rebun Island Main Store] ◆ Coffee ◆ Rebun broth ◉ Overlooking Tod Island I visited this cape, but due to the strong winds, there was no one else around, allowing me to have the farthest point in Japan all to myself. Being buffeted by the strong winds that felt like they could blow me away, I was filled with a deep sense of having reached the farthest point in Japan.

I arrived at Rebun Island on a trip in early autumn 2022, full of adventure. I crossed from Rishiri Island's Oshidomari Port to Rebun Island's Kafuka Port. The weather was sunny, but the strong winds from a typhoon made the ferry quite rocky. On this day, I will be staying at a hotel in Funadomari on the north side of the island. I took a van to the hotel, but since check-in time hasn't arrived yet, I decided to walk from Funadomari to Skoton Cape, which is about 7km away. It took me about 1 hour and 40 minutes, but I finally arrived. Skoton Cape, after 20 years. It was quite emotional. Towards the end of September, there were very few tourists around. There was a shop near the cape, called Rebun Island Honpo, known for its sea urchin rice bowl. Hungry after the long walk, I entered the shop, but to my disappointment, the staff informed me that the sea urchin season had ended. I asked if they had anything else to eat, but they said they had nothing. What a letdown. There were no other shops nearby, and since I was on foot, I couldn't go far. Buses were running, but they were infrequent. I reluctantly settled for some kelp mochi and coffee. The kelp mochi was made by Tengu-do Takarabune in Nanporo Town, Kamikawa District, using Hokkaido-produced gome kelp. The taste was mediocre. The Rebun Blend hot coffee was lukewarm and not very tasty. It felt like vending machine coffee would have been better. The service from the part-time male staff was also somewhat rude. Maybe he was not from the island. The last bus was in the evening. Well, I guess I'll just have to walk all the way back. On the way back, I took the Cape Tour route from Todo Island Observatory to Gorota Cape. Including breaks, it took about 5 hours of trekking. Phew, I'm tired. I'll just relax and sleep well at the hotel tonight.

At the northern tip of Rebun Island is Cape Skoton, where you can see the uninhabited Tod Island offshore. Once home to fishermen who harvested kelp and sea urchins, Tod Island is now deserted, inhabited only by seals, seabirds, and seagulls. Feeling a bit hungry, I took a break at the only shop and rest area, "Island People Rebun Island Main Store." The shop had a great selection of seafood souvenirs, including the unique Skoton Cape exclusive Salmon Kelp Roll. However, the prices were quite high, so I opted for the famous "Kelp Steamed Bun" for 350 yen. The staff handed it to me, and it was piping hot and delicious. After finishing my snack, I bid farewell to Cape Skoton and headed back to Kushiro.

After visiting Cape Soya, I tried the kelp soft serve ice cream here. The shop was bustling, and I waited a bit in line to order. The soft serve was a light green color, with a slightly rough texture and a hint of kelp flavor. It was a delightful experience to enjoy this soft serve in this location. I savored it while looking out at the view outside. Afterwards, I visited the northernmost public restroom and bought plenty of delicious souvenirs.

I visited Rebun Island at the end of August, so I think the uni bowl I had there will be the last of the season. The uni was Bafun uni, but it seemed a bit old, maybe I arrived at a bad time. Also, the portion was a bit off, clearly leaving too much rice (lol) so ordering extra ikura was the right choice. It was nice that they served the kombu roll that they sell in the shop. I arrived too early, so I had time until the rice was cooked? So, I had a toast with a Tod meat bun and beer. It was my first time trying Tod meat, and it had a strong meaty flavor. I forgot to try the Rishiri kombu soft serve ice cream.

Traveling to Rebun Island. On this day, we traveled by bus from the Kafuka Ferry Terminal to the northernmost point of Rebun Island, Cape Sukoton. We enjoyed the breathtaking scenery of Cape Sukoton, one of Rebun Island's famous spots, before moving on. Before that, there is a souvenir shop near the cape's parking lot. I took a quick look inside. The souvenir shop mainly sells seafood such as sea urchin. There is also a space selling light meals, so I decided to fill my stomach a bit there. Looking at the menu in the snack corner, there were unique items like seal meat buns and kelp buns that reflect the essence of Rebun Island. One of them was kelp soft serve ice cream. I was curious and bought it for 400 yen. The cream was scooped onto a cone in front of me, and I enjoyed it on the outdoor terrace. The waffle cone had a thin layer of green cream on top. The vanilla-based cream was not overly sweet and had a decent milk flavor. Although it contains kelp extract, I didn't really taste the kelp. It melted quite quickly, making my hands sticky. In terms of taste, it was not much different from regular soft serve ice cream. Well, as a novelty item, it may be interesting to try it once.

It's already mid-June in the second year of Reiwa, and the Ezo Bafun Uni is starting to appear. I ordered a luxurious set of Kitamurasaki and Ezo Bafun Uni, which are only shipped on the day they are caught, and I've been waiting eagerly. Today, it finally arrived. The set includes 90g of Kitamurasaki and 90g of Ezo Bafun Uni. The total price, including shipping, is 10,259 yen. Considering the quality and origin, this is quite reasonable. Uni feeds on kelp, so the quality of the kelp affects its sweetness. That's why I think the ones from around Rishiri Island are the best. This set was caught around Rishiri and Rebun, so my expectations were high. Of course, these are saltwater Uni without any additives. I shared about 50g with my wife, and then we enjoyed the rest in a dreamy Uni comparison super bowl. It was delicious. Sweet. No mixing of flavors. The fresh Rishiri Uni at this time of year is outstanding. The Ezo Bafun Uni is incredibly sweet, and the Kitamurasaki has a great Uni-like flavor. Both have no off-flavors and provide a blissful taste experience. I slurped it down like a drink. It's comparable to what you would get at a high-end sushi or Japanese restaurant. And all this for less than 5,000 yen per box... it's a great deal. Maybe the prices dropped a bit due to the influence of the coronavirus. This would definitely make a great gift that anyone would appreciate.

<Comments closed> Ikauni Meshi - 1590 yen This was my first time trying such an expensive squid rice dish. There is a shop at Chitose Airport, and compared to other shops, the prices here seem generally high. But since I was already here, I decided to purchase the product at this main store. If you spend a certain amount, the shipping is free. However, the prices here were quite high... (>_<) It felt like a special commemorative item.

At the northernmost tip of Rebun Island, there is a beautiful souvenir shop called Scoton Misaki. Craft beer has been gaining popularity in Hokkaido recently, and the trend has reached Rebun Island. The Rebun Beer, which can only be purchased by locals, is a pale ale with a great bottle design, making it a perfect souvenir for yourself.

The other day, I visited this place as the 8th stop on my study tour about kelp, sea urchin, and water in Hokkaido, presented by Prince. I was mainly interested in the kelp soft serve ice cream, but I also ordered sea urchin sushi without hesitation. The sea urchin sushi had almost no fishy smell, even for Kitamurasaki sea urchin which I'm not particularly fond of. And when it comes to Ezo Bafun sea urchin, there was absolutely no smell at all. Instead, I could taste a hint of sweetness and the rich, bursting texture was impressive. As for the kelp soft serve ice cream, it was not as kelp-flavored as I had hoped. The usual milky sweetness was followed by a vibrant aftertaste, which might be the essence of kelp, but it was quite difficult to discern. Thank you for the meal. Sea urchin sushi (overflowing) ¥1000 Kelp soft serve ice cream ¥400

I received it at the Umaimon Matsuri event at the Ai-Chikyuhaku Memorial Park. I was hesitant because the sea urchin bowl was 1700 yen, but the shopkeeper called out, "It takes 11 hours by plane from here to Rebun Island! But now you can eat it in 2 minutes!"... I had to go for it!! and purchased it. Rebun Island is located at the northernmost tip of Hokkaido and has a population of 2,572 people as of April 1, 2018. And above all, the seafood! Sea urchin! Ezo bafun uni! It is characterized by short spines. The inside is a deep orange color, and the taste is sweet, allowing you to enjoy the finest flavor. According to Wikipedia. Listening to the story of the sea urchin that came from a distant place... as I ate it, it was delicious!! The rice was vinegared rice and had completely cooled down, but the deliciousness of the sea urchin was still maintained regardless. The melting texture of the sea urchin and its original taste gradually came through, making it very rich. The next day, on the show "Switch!" on Tokai TV, Tanpopo's Murakami said it was delicious and attracted a long line.

A popular shop located at Skoton Cape on Rebun Island. The shop mainly sells kelp and layered kelp rolls. There are signs promoting "Kelp Soft Serve Ice Cream," "Rishiri Kelp Steamed Buns," and "Dodo Meat Steamed Buns." The Rishiri Kelp Steamed Buns take a little time to prepare. I ordered the "Kelp Soft Serve Ice Cream" for 400 yen, which had less volume than shown in the photo and had a subtle green color and taste. I also ordered the "Dodo Meat Steamed Buns" for 350 yen, which tasted like a regular meat bun. Both items lacked excitement and I was hoping for more impact.

The person from the island famous for their salmon and kelp layered sushi rolls. The main store is located at Cape Skoton on Rebun Island, which is said to be very far away. As a Hokkaido enthusiast, I would love to visit there at least once, so I decided to go to Rebun Island and Rishiri Island during my summer vacation! It was my first time landing on Rebun Island, and I really enjoyed the slow flow of time in its rich natural surroundings. At the main store, they offer a special kelp soft serve ice cream (300 yen) exclusive to Cape Skoton. The creamy sweetness mixed with the deliciousness of Rishiri kelp made for a delightful treat. I would love to visit again in the warm season, as the charm of nature on Rishiri Island and Rebun Island left a lasting impression on me.

Finally made it there. This is the main store of the people of Rebun Island, which I sometimes use at the airport. The location is outstanding, and the weather was great, so the view was amazing. I ordered sea urchin sushi. I was a bit surprised that it was 1000 yen for 2 pieces, but considering the price of sea urchin from this region at sushi restaurants, it seems like a good deal. Of course, the taste was excellent as it was freshly caught. It's not an easily accessible place, but I was able to truly experience the charm of a remote island.

I wanted the tuna bowl with beer, but the tuna was not great. I wish I had ordered a mini size and had ramen instead. There was no tea, only water. Maybe eating in wasn't the best choice at the Hokkaido product exhibition at Yokohama Sogo.

The sea urchin melted.

Kombu soft serve ice cream