Wakkanai, Japan
稚内市
Wakkanai is a town of 33,869 people in Hokkaido, Japan, founded in April 1, 1949.
Why visit Wakkanai
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 133 places to eat, 33 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Wakkanai Lighthouse, Wakkanai Hokusei Gakuen University, Wakkanai Karafuto Museum and Wakkanai City Youth Science Museum.
Weather in Wakkanai
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Wakkanai
Wakkanai (稚内市, Wakkanai-shi; Ainu: ヤㇺワッカナィ Yam-wakka-nay meaning "cold water river" or more literally "cold river valley") is a city located in Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Wakkanai is the capital of Sōya Subprefecture. Situated approximately 1,100 km north of Tokyo and 270 km north of Sapporo, it is the northernmost municipality under Japanese administration following the loss of Karafuto (present-day Sakhalin) and the Kuril Islands, with Benten-jima being the northernmost point under Japanese control.
From the Wikipedia article Wakkanai (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Wakkanai on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do7
Museums and landmarks12
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Wakkanai Park
Park · 1.3 km
Wakkanai Park is a park in Wakkanai, Hokkaido
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Restaurants and cafes133
Karafuto Syokudo
Restaurant · 4.8 km
2-2-6 Nosyappa
Su-Sa 09:00-15:00
121 more on the map.
History
Wakkanai was originally home to an Ainu population. A Japanese settlement was established in 1685 by Matsumae Domain as a trading post and key point for guarding northern Japan and the exploration of Sakhalin. The settlement came under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate from 1807 to 1821, and again from 1859, when Akita Domain was assigned to provide a garrison. The Akita garrison was replaced by Kanazawa Domain in 1870. After the Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1875), which exchanged Japanese claims on Sakhalin with the Kuril Islands, 841 Japanese settlers in Sakhalin were relocated to Wakkanai. A county office and headman's office established in Soya in 1879, which is regarded as the official foundation of the village of Wakkanai. In 1897, Sōya Subprefecture was established and Wakkanai was elevated to town status in 1901.
From the History section of Wakkanai on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay33
Churches and places of worship22
Shopping29
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare24
Map of Wakkanai
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wakkanai Airport (WKJ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 10 km away.
- Makubetsu 12 km east, about 12 min by car
- Toyotomi 35 km south, about 35 min by car
- Karibetsu 40 km southeast, about 40 min by car
- Oshidomari 41 km southwest, about 41 min by car
- Horonobe 46 km south, about 46 min by car
- Rishiri Town 47 km southwest, about 47 min by car
- Kafukamura 51 km west, about 51 min by car
- Teshio 59 km south, about 59 min by car
- Hamatonbetsu 63 km southeast, about 1 h by car
- Nakatonbetsu 69 km southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Wakkanai 20140723 151953, Ka23 13, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 稚内駅 Wakkanai Japan Sigma 35mm Canon 6d, Toomore Chiang, CC BY 3.0
- 稚內 Wakkanai Japan Sigma 35mm Canon 6d, Toomore Chiang, CC BY 3.0
- Japan National Route 40 and 232 in Wakkanai city,HOKKAIDO, 小石川人晃, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai Station Ticket gates, Rory trains, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai Station Platform, Rory trains, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Japan National Highway Route 40 Terminal & Route 232 Origin in Wakkanai city,Hokkaido, 小石川人晃, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hokkaido Prefectural road Route 106 (Wakkanai Teshio line) Origin in Chuo,Wakkanai city, 小石川人晃, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai station ekibil, Sengoku40, CC BY-SA 3.0
- New wakkanai station, Purplepumpkins, CC BY-SA 3.0
- JR Wakkanai Station (KITAKARA) in Hokkaido,Japan, 小石川人晃, CC BY-SA 4.0
- BoreasSoya CarDeck Wakkanai AUG2010, Ka23 13, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan, 稚內, 北海道, 日本, わっかないし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (16720626832), bryan... from Taipei, Taiwan, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Wakkanai dome, Flickr user: Yoppy Kawasaki, Japan https://www.flickr.com/people/spilt-milk/, CC BY 2.0
- 稚內 Wakkanai Japan Sigma 35mm Canon 6d, Toomore Chiang, CC BY 3.0
- Wakkanai Breakwater, Drivephotographer, CC0
- Wakkanai city view, Kitayama, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai, Japan 2011 Daikon (6291773703), Rick McCharles, CC BY 2.0
- Traffic Mark for Entrance of Wakkanai (稚内) - panoramio, Benford Choi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wakkanai lighrhouse, 100yen 07:22, 28 October 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wakkanai Fukukoichiba 18-06-02 2, Totti, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai Fukukoichiba 18-06-02, Totti, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai municipal youth science museum and NOSHAPPU Kan-ryu aquarium, 100yen 05:57, 6 October 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wakkanai harbor, 100yen 14:49, 9 October 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wakkanai Hokusei Gakuen University, 100yen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wakkanai shoukou highschool, 100yen 13:20, 9 October 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wakkanai high school, 100yen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wakkanai municipal Wakkanai Chuo Elementary School, Suikotei, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wakkanai Minami Junior High School 20210619, Ryo FUKAsawa, CC BY 2.0
- 市立稚内こまどり病院, Ryo FUKAsawa, CC BY 2.0
- 稚内 北門神社 - panoramio, [email protected]…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 稚内駅 - panoramio, Yobito KAYANUMA, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 稚内駅 北と南の始発・終着駅の看板, Rory trains, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 連続乗車券（勇知⇒南稚内⇒豊富）, 特急東海, CC0
- KITAcolor interior, Yasu ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- 稚内駅 日本最北端の線路の石碑, Rory trains, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 風車 - panoramio (3), Mamusi Taka, CC BY-SA 3.0
- HOKUMON-JINJYA-TORII, toji0078, Public domain
- 朝焼けの稚内市内 - panoramio, Mamusi Taka, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 朝もやに立つ - panoramio, Mamusi Taka, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The lighthouse at Cape Noshappu, Wakkanai, Japan, OKJaguar, CC BY 4.0
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