The largest pond on Rishiri Island. A famous spot for viewing Rishiri Fuji
| Getting there | From Tomakomai Station to Wakkanai Port: about 5 h 10 min by car (about 363 km by road). From Wakkanai Port to Oshidomari Port: about 1 h 40 min by ferry. From Oshidomari Port: about 25 min by car (about 23 km on island roads). By air: ANA flies from New Chitose Airport (about 50 min, seasonal service) and Hokkaido Air System flies from Sapporo's Okadama Airport (about 50 min, one round trip a day) to Rishiri Airport. ANA flies only during certain periods, and the flight days and times change from year to year, so please check before you leave. A rough guide only. Please check ferry schedules and road conditions with the operators and road information services before you leave. |
|---|---|
| Highlights | Lakes · Scenic views · Walking |
| Area | Rishiri Island |
| Our photos | 2026 |
| Map | Open map |
What kind of place is Otatomari Pond?
Otatomari Pond, on the north side of Rishiri Island, is the largest natural pond on the island. There is a walking path along its shore, and it is known as a place with views of Rishiri Fuji.
There are souvenir shops and restaurants nearby, so it is also a good place to take a break while touring the island.
How to get there
From Tomakomai Station to Wakkanai Port: about 5 h 10 min by car (about 363 km by road).
From Wakkanai Port to Oshidomari Port: about 1 h 40 min by ferry.
From Oshidomari Port: about 25 min by car (about 23 km on island roads).
By air: ANA flies from New Chitose Airport (about 50 min, seasonal service) and Hokkaido Air System flies from Sapporo’s Okadama Airport (about 50 min, one round trip a day) to Rishiri Airport. ANA flies only during certain periods, and the flight days and times change from year to year, so please check before you leave.
Driving from Tomakomai to Wakkanai Port and then taking the ferry takes more than 5 hours one way, and you also have the cost and trouble of parking your car in Wakkanai. For a short trip of about 2 nights and 3 days, you can also fly in and rent a car on the island. For people in Tomakomai, New Chitose Airport is close, and you can fly from there when ANA flights operate (this is a seasonal service, so please check the operating period in advance). There are also Hokkaido Air System flights from Sapporo’s Okadama Airport.
Travel times are estimates based on road distances calculated from road map data (OpenStreetMap), assuming an average speed of about 55 km/h (about 70 km/h for trips over 40 km). Ferry schedules and travel times change with the season and the weather, so please check with the ferry operator before you leave.
Highlights
You can see Rishiri Fuji from a different angle than at Himenuma Pond. Walking around the pond and comparing the views is also part of the fun.
Our photo record
Our president visited in May 2026 and took about 152 photos.
This page was machine-translated. The Japanese original prevails.
Photos: Banana House Inc. (taken by our president). Do not reuse without permission.
Our photo records and timestamp certificates
The 12 photos in this article were taken on site by our president. We list the SHA-256 hashes of the published files and have them signed by timestamp authorities (DateSealed, DigiCert, Sectigo)(First certified: 2026-11-03 12:40 JST). A signature shows that the same file existed before that time; it does not prove the date the photo was taken.
You can check the signature and hash of each photo from its timestamp certificate. To see whether a photo you saved matches our records, use the photo timestamp verification page (Japanese) .
Nearby spots
- Numaura Observation Deck (about 2 km in a straight line)
- Rishiri Town Museum (about 4 km in a straight line)
- Sleeping Bear Rock (about 9 km in a straight line)
Looking for a home or selling in Tomakomai?
“Lake Shikotsu or Noboribetsu on weekends”, “I want to live near the airport”: we suggest areas that fit the way you want to live. We also help with selling and vacant houses.
Banana House Inc., 1-1-1 Honkocho, Tomakomai. We never use pushy sales. Please write in English or Japanese.