Life on Rebun Island

BBQs and hiking!

September is my favorite month on Rebun. The weather is much more agreeable for me since I absolutely love the chilly nights in autumn. A steady wind makes hiking and trekking so enjoyable and you can see the red and yellow leaves all across the island.

The beginning of September still feels like summer and I went out snorkeling at Funadomari Beach. The rains start around the midway point of September, which means cooler temperatures and more fishing!

In the evening you can see all the stars and even the Milky Way. So I usually set up my hammock and enjoy a BBQ. There was a rainbow at the port the other day. What a lovely way to end the summer here on Rebun.

The peak of Rebun's summer

A lot happens in August: there are festivals and fireworks. Tourists come every day to try local cafes, hike and escape the heat. This is when Rebun's soothing summers really shine. Every day, tourist buses packed to the gills take happy tourists to sights all around the island.

For me, the best part of August is seeing the seals every day. Due to the high heat and clear skies, the seals like to laze about daily. Anytime you want, you can travel north to Funadomari and see the seals basking in the sun.

Sadly, I broke my foot and couldn't participate in the festival this year, but I hope everyone had fun.

Summer on Rebun

Fishing on Rebun Island is what drew people here even back in the Jomon period. The waters are crystal clear, with large rocks and abundant kombu. On hot, humid days I thought about jumping into the water myself instead of fishing from the shore.

Even those without a license can fish from the pier or shoreline, so long as they make sure not to bother anyone or intrude on private property. For this reason, I highly recommend the pier near the ferry terminal. The waters are deep and blue. Many tourists and residents alike gather at dusk on the pier fishing from their camping vans or cars.

If you can't catch anything yourself, please visit many of the local restaurants to try out someone else's fish!

It's open season for hiking!

Hiking season is on! All the trails are open, and every day hundreds of tourists come to hike the various trails and courses all over Rebun.

Despite the variety of courses, I still like the Momoiwa course the best, but the Rebun Falls course is a close second. The best part of hiking in June is all the flowers you can see! All the courses are adorned with beautiful wildflowers and sometimes even the elusive Rebun atsumori.

The weather is heating up, but the wind keeps things nice and cool in the mornings and near the coast. If you're coming to Rebun for the flowers and hiking, now is the time!

The Firefighter Parade

Finally, the last of the snow has melted on Rebun. Due to Japan's incredibly early sunrises, the mornings are quite warm here on Rebun.

The island officially opens in May and many tourists gather in the ferry terminal every morning, eager to hop on buses or rent bikes. The island opens slowly in stages. It's fun watching as various shops reopen and hiking trails become available. The island opens in its own time just like the atsumori flowers that are famous here.

The highlight of May is the firefighter parade, which happens on the pier. The firefighters perform drills together and locals on the island can come and watch. Getting to see the fire hoses spray into the ocean in front of Rishiri makes it feel like summer. Even if everyone is still wearing coats.

When I was a kid, we would get sprayed down by the fire hose at the end of our summer camp. I wonder if that happens here...

Hiking the Peach Rock Course (Momoiwa)

Every spring we need to check the safety of the various trekking courses on the island. The first course we checked was the Peach Rock course called the Momoiwa trail course in the brochure.

We started our hike early in the morning from the ferry terminal and wandered through the sleepy city until we reached the winding trail up to the plateau.

The course entrance has a neat parking lot as well as restrooms. Also, you can see quite far after just walking a short bit, so if you aren't confident in your hiking abilities, feel free to stop here and enjoy the view instead.

There was an old course which led to the top of Peach Rock, but I was informed by my coworkers it was no longer accessible, so please be careful and only follow marked routes.

The winds were very strong and we could see the whitecaps on the waves from atop the ridge. The course ends with a lovely green forest as well as a good view of the lighthouse. I highly recommend it.

By the way, the course is named after the so-called Peach Rock, but does the rock really look like a peach?

Arriving on Rebun Island

Hello! I'm an American who has been living in Japan for the last four years. I recently moved to Rebun to help out with the Rebun Island Tourism Association's efforts to revitalize the island.

When I was young, my grandparents had a cabin in Homer, Alaska. When I would visit, I could see fishermen enjoying a very simple but profound way of life.

Here on this island, I can see that lifestyle again. Despite being from America, I feel oddly nostalgic for this small island. I guess it goes to show that some human experiences are universal, regardless of what country you were born in. I hope everyone can experience this relaxing nostalgia on Rebun Island.