Port of Wakkanai

The Port of Wakkanai (稚内港) is a major port located in the Municipality of Wakkanai, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Sakhalin lies about 62.81 kilometers (39.03 mi) to the north. Many ferries that depart for and arrive from Rishiri Island, Rebun Island and Sakhalin in Russia stop at this port. It is also a distribution center for industrial materials and essential items for residents in the North of Hokkaido. Otherwise, the port is a base for inshore and offshore fisheries, and the port supports Sakhalin-III.[1] In 2007, the port was registered as Minato Oasis (みなとオアシス), and it was named as "Minato Oasis Wakkanai" (みなとオアシスわっかない) by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.[2][3]

Port of Wakkanai
View of Wakkanai Port from Wakkanai Park
Location
CountryJapan
LocationWakkanai, Hokkaido Prefecture
Coordinates45.415156°N 141.682957°E / 45.415156; 141.682957
Details
Opened1948
Owned byWakkanai
Type of harborSeaport
Size1,800 ha
Wharfs5
Statistics
Vessel arrivals6,260
Annual cargo tonnage1,577,538
Passenger traffic333,716
Website
Port of Wakkanai

Lanes

The lanes are departure routes from Wakkanai International Ferry Terminal (also known as Wakkanai Ferry Terminal).[4] They are located in the Port of Wakkanai.

National lanes

Lane Name Via Destination Company
Wakkanai-Oshidomari Line[5] Nonstop Rishiri Island Heart Land Ferry
Wakkanai-Kafuka Line[6] Nonstop Rebun Island

International lanes

Lane Name Via Destination Company Note
Sakhalin Line[7] Nonstop Korsakov (town) Sakhalin Shipping Company Runs between August and September

History
Wakkanai Port and Ferry in front of North Breakwater Dome
Aerial photo overlooking the Port of Wakkanai taken in 1977

Wakkanai Port originated when the Matsumae Domain Lords established facilities for paying taxes during the Edo era of Japan.[8] In the Meiji era, the port was regarded as an example of the cultivation of Hokkaido. Moreover, the port helped in developing the neighboring city of Wakkanai, which provided access to Karafuto after the Russo-Japanese War.[9]

Sakhalin lane

In 1989 there were ferries for the first time after World War II[10] that were bound for Kholmsk, which is known as "Maoka" (真岡) in Japanese. In 1991, ferries exclusively for tourists departed for Korsakov (town), which is known as "Ōtomari" (大泊) in Japanese.[11] However, the ferry has not run since 1995 and was discontinued in 2015. A new public-private sector ferry company was established by Wakkanai and the Sakhalin Shipping Company in 2016[12] that has run between August and September.

Ground transportation

There is a bus stop located in front of the Wakkanai Ferry Terminal, connecting it to the rest of Hokkaido.[13]

Name Via Destination Company Note
Hamanasu & Wakkanai (express bus)[14][15] Non stop Sapporo Station Hokuto Kotsu
Soya Bus
Airport bus[16][17] Wakkanai Station Wakkanai Airport Soya Bus Ride on each section of the bus at 700 yen
Soya Misaki・Kuko Line[18] Wakkanai Station・Cape Soya Wakkanai Airport Runs only during Summer

Surrounding area

It takes about 7 minutes to travel from the port to Wakkanai Station on foot.

References
  1. "Sakhalin-Ⅰ". Wakkanai. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  2. "Minato Oasis Wakkanai". Hokkaido Development Agency. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. "みなとオアシス「わっかない」". Wakkanai. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  4. Wakkanai International Ferry Terminal
  5. Timetable
  6. Timetable
  7. Timetable
  8. 沿革・概要, pp. 1–2.
  9. 沿革・概要, p. 2.
  10. "the ferry which was exclusively tourists departured from here to Sakhalin at first after World War Ⅱ" (PDF). MLIT. 22 May 1989. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  11. "reborn Chihaku Lane". Photo Hokkaido. Hokkaido News. 2 May 1991. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  12. "about reborning regular lane". 北海道新聞社. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  13. Ferry Terminal
  14. Express bus Hamanasu
  15. Express bus Wakkanai
  16. Bus Terminal
  17. Airport bus
  18. Timetable
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