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Rishiri Rebun Sarobetsu NP, Hokkaido
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At only 490 m, Mount Rebun already rises above the trees: dwarf pines take over around 350 m, and the summit is exposed to strong winds. On this windswept island, alpine conditions arrive remarkably low.
In 1991, researchers set baited traps at 13 Mount Rebun sites, from 15 to 480 m. They recorded 3,080 beetles—117 species across 26 families—a remarkable insect census for one mountainside.
The rocks around Mount Rebun record eruptions beneath an ancient sea: the island’s central bedrock belongs to the Early Cretaceous Rebun Group. Nearby Rishiri, by contrast, is a 1,721 m volcanic cone.
Mount Rebun is only 490 m, yet its open summit commands views across the whole island. On a clear day, the horizon can include Rishiri, Wakkanai and even Sakhalin—a big vista from a modest peak.
Rebun comes from the Ainu repun-siri, “offshore island,” and Mount Rebun shares the island’s name. The island lies about 59 km west of Wakkanai, making this old place-name a neat bit of geography.
