Cape Erimo襟裳岬

A magnificent mountain range jutting into the Pacific Ocean. Frolicking seals add excitement and splendor to the cape.

Cape Erimo is a point at the south of the Hidaka Mountain Range that stretches for 150 kilometers in eastern Hokkaido, thus giving it the nickname of "the backbone of Hokkaido." The cape juts into the Pacific Ocean, and at its tip are cliffs standing over 60 meters high that were formed by sea erosion. The mountain range becomes a reef that stretches offshore for several kilometers, and the white breaking waves are magnificent, creating a dynamic scene. Because the cape stands at the meeting point of warm and cold currents, sea fog is often created around it. The entire cape has been designated as Hidaka-sanmyaku-Erimo Quasi-National Park.

The area is one of the windiest in Japan, with strong winds of over 10 meters per second blowing for 290 days a year. The result is that agriculture has not been developed there, and no tall trees have grown. The Erimo Wind Museum is dedicated to wind, and contains monitors showing the weather in different parts of the world, as well as a facility that lets visitors experience wind blowing at 25 meters per second. Using the binoculars provided at the observatory, you can watch the seals that sometimes appear on the reef.