Betsukai Town

• Hokkaido
• Area Info
• Sightseeing
• Accommodation
• Food
• Activities
• Nature
• Spring
• Summer
• Autumn
• Winter

Betsukai Town, in the Nemuro Sub-prefecture of eastern Hokkaido, is home to the Notsuke Peninsula — Japan's longest sand spit at approximately 28 km, curling into the sea from the coast like a dragon's tail. Notsuke Bay, a Ramsar-registered wetland within the peninsula, shelters a rare and fragile ecosystem; the haunting forest of dead standing trees known as 'Todowara' and 'Narawara' is one of eastern Hokkaido's most surreal landscapes. In winter (January to March), Notsuke Bay freezes completely, creating the legendary 'Ice Horizon' (Koori Heisen) — an endless, white, flat expanse stretching to the horizon where ice walking tours and snowmobile experiences have become enormously popular in recent years. On clear days, Kunashiri Island is visible with the naked eye. Betsukai's giant scallops (Jumbo Hotate) are among Hokkaido's most prized seafood, fresh from the waters of Odaito Port.