//
This is a free outdoor onsen. Women have their own bath but often come to the mixed bath too. There are no towels or soap available, so visitors should bring their own. The mixed bath is almost visible from the road, though tree branches help provide some privacy. The women's bath has a wall for privacy.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
知床峠 Shiretoko-tōge
At the highest point of the road connecting the western and eastern coasts is a popular stop on the tour bus circuit, offering views of Mt. Rausu and, on a good day, the disputed Kunashiri Island controlled by Russia but claimed by Japan..
羅臼岳 Rausu-dake
A climb to the summit of this 1665m mountain is a tough but popular day trip. In bad weather, Mt. Rausu can be quite dangerous..
岩尾別温泉
After a hard day's climbing, reward yourself with a dip in this basic but pleasant open-air hot springs. Free and mixed, so be sure you are comfortable with that..
カムイワッカ湯の滝 Kamuiwakka-yunotaki
These falls are one of Japan's more amazing natural wonders, and indeed the Ainu name means "river of the gods". The road to the falls is closed to private traffic, so you have to take the shuttle bus from the Shiretoko Shizen Center. The bus goes 11 km up a bumpy dirt road and takes about 40 minutes. At the end of the track, slip on a pair of sturdy sandals. If you didn't bring your own, Japanese waraji bamboo-straw sandals can be rented for a few hundred yen at the Shizen Center. Socks or running shoes are OK too, but will get wet. Then commence a thirty minute clamber up the river, in water that gets gradually warmer as you ascend... and the rocks more slippery as algae celebrate a field day. Tread carefully and leave the cameras behind. The payoff awaits at the end, where waterfalls cascade into a free natural hot spring pool large enough for half a dozen people. Since August 2006, only the very first part of the river up from the bus terminal at the road bridge has been open to the public due to falling rocks danger. Nevertheless, even that lukewarm pool is a great experience..