Erimo Misaki Tourist Center

えりも岬観光センター
Pricing Guide at restaurant
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1000 - ¥3500
Opening Hours9:00 - 16:30
Closed-
Contact011-4663-1666
NotesSouvenir store, restaurant, restrooms
Location /
Getting There
From Sapporo the cape is about a 4 hour drive down the south coast. There is also a return express bus from Sapporo station. JR Hokkaido Bus (High Speed) to Erimo, (reservation required until the day before departure).
*JR Sapporo Station 16:30 departure-Erimo 20:30 arrival
*Erimo 5:30 departure-JR Sapporo Station 9:30 arrival
Erimomisaki, Erimo, Horoizumi District, Hokkaido 058-0342

The Erimo Misaki Tourist Center serves as a souvenir store, information center, and as a seafood restaurant. It can be found at Cape Erimo on the point. There is a large carpark here as well, and the Tourist Center is definitely a welcome place during cold, wet and windy weather. Close by, you can also find the entrance to the Kaze no Yakata (house of wind), wind museum. The tourist center has numerous souvenirs inside. These include mainly animal products from the local wildlife such as antlers from the Hokkaido deer. 

The restaurant is large and one of the best spots to try some local seafood while in Erimo. There are not a lot of restaurants in Erimo, so this is a good spot for some lunch while on the road. Being on the coast, there is plenty of seafood to choose from. They have a great sea urchin bowl that comes with rice, pickles and a miso soup. It is costly at ¥3600 a bowl, but if you have the money, it’s worth a try. Other dishes include sashimi, sushi, and shellfish. You can also find some large tanks with equally large snow crabs for sale. These things are huge and aren’t cheap! Overall, Erimo Misaki Tourist Center is a good place, although a little old, to stop off at take a look at its wares, or have a taste of its local cuisine! 

Kaze no Yakata (House of Wind)

襟裳岬風の館
Admission¥300 Adults
¥200 Children
¥240 Groups (15 or more)
Opening Hours9:00 - 17:00
ClosedDecember, January and February.
Contact011-4663-1133
NotesMuseum, seal viewing location
Location /
Getting There
The museum is located at Cape Erimo. From Sapporo, it is about a 4 hour drive down the south coast. There is also a return express bus from Sapporo station. JR Hokkaido Bus (High Speed) to Erimo, (reservation required until the day before departure).
*JR Sapporo Station 16:30 departure-Erimo 20:30 arrival
*Erimo 5:30 departure-JR Sapporo Station 9:30 arrival
Erimomisaki, Erimo, Horoizumi District, Hokkaido 058-0342

The ‘House of Wind’ is situated overlooking Cape Erimo. Cape Erimo is famous for its strong winds and rolling mists. Because of this, the museum is actually built into the mountain. Its prominent feature is the large glass windows that face out from the cliff face with spectacular (and warm) views over the ocean and the rocky peninsular. Access to the museum is via a long and damp stone carved corridor. The charge is very affordable and once inside the warm and inviting museum, you can access a theatre, exhibits, a seal observation deck, a wind tunnel, plus information about the surrounding area. 

The main focus of the museum is the wind and the seal colony. The ‘House of Wind’ has a great wind room. The room has a large fan at one end and it is here you can safely experience gale force winds with a wind speed of 25 meters per second. There are hand rails to hold onto. Other exhibits in the museum focus on the seal colony that lives at Cape Erimo. These are Kuril Harbor Seals. The seals here can be viewed at the observation deck via a number of binoculars that have been set up. The number of these seals numbers at around 600 and are listed as ‘near threatened’. The best time to see these seals is in the summer when they usually out of the water. At Kaze no Yakata, you can also find information on the local wildlife plus skeleton exhibits.

Cape Erimo Lighthouse

襟裳岬
AdmissionFree
Opening Hours-
Closed-
Contact-
NotesParking available, sightseeing spot, wheelchair access
Location /
Getting There
The lighthouse is found on Cape Erimo. It is a 2 minute walk from `Erimo to Daiguchi bus stop`. From Sapporo, it is about a 4 hour drive down route 336, and then a right turn on to route 34 which is about 10 minutes from the cape.
367 Toyo, Erimo, Horoizumi District, Hokkaido 058-0343

Cape Erimo Lighthouse is a large white lighthouse that can be found overlooking the tip of Cape Erimo. The lighthouse was first lit in the Meiji Era on June 25, 1889. It was destroyed during a bombing raid on July 15, 1945 during World War II. It was then rebuilt on February 3, 1950 and continues to light the coast to this day. It was also selected as one of the best fifty lighthouses in Japan. Cape Erimo is a rugged and windy coastal area that is famous for its strong winds and fog. 

In this area, the warm and cold currents collide offshore, and sea fog is generated for about 100 days a year. You can often see the fog rolling in from the ocean. The lighthouse is a beacon for fishing boats and cargo ships sailing through the choppy waters around the cape. The lighthouse stands at 13.7 meters, and is 73.3 meters up from the sea level. The light reaches out 22.5 nautical miles, which is about 41 kilometers. There is a lot to see on Cape Erimo and is a must stop if driving through the area.