What other travelers are saying about Shiretoko Pass
This pass is not open year round and only during summer, so it's a great chance to drive across from June to August! When the view is clear, you can see the northern islands at the highest point of the pass, with the backdrop of Mt Rausu.
Shiretoko Pass (知床峠, Shiretoko Tōge) sits at 738 meters atop the Shiretoko Cross-Island Road (Route 334), connecting Utoro on the west coast with Rausu on the east. This high mountain pass offers breathtaking panoramas—on clear days, you can admire Mount Rausu (1,661 meters), pristine primeval forests, the Nemuro Strait, and even Kunashiri Island in the distance.
A highlight in autumn, the pass is among the first places in Hokkaido to display vibrant fall foliage, typically peaking in early October. It is also recognized as one of the “Shiretoko Eight Scenic Views.” A free parking area with space for about 66 cars and several buses allows travelers to stop easily, and there is an observation platform to fully appreciate the scenery.
Access to the pass is seasonal due to heavy snowfall. It usually closes from November to late April and reopens around Golden Week. Just before the reopening, a popular “Snow Wall Walk” event allows visitors to walk between towering walls of snow cleared from the road. After the pass reopens, it is initially open only during the daytime and only when the road is free of ice.
Don’t miss this Shiretoko Pass when it is open. Whole route from Shiretoko info centre to Rausu only takes 30 mins. But you’ll get to see varieties of florals and landscape while passing the winding uphill and downhill roads. This scenic route was the highlight of my trip. Good chance to bump into wild animals like foxes and deers too. You will get up close distance to the spectacular Mount Rausu on the peak.
I won't repeat what everyone wrote about the nice views. Instead I'll share one important piece of information: At some point, early on in the drive, your car is going to start humming very loudly. Why does no one mention this in their review? We totally panicked and thought our rental car was breaking down. I was coming from Utoro and continued to drive cautiously, and just around where the Shiretoko Rausu Visitor Center is located, the humming sound abruptly stopped. On the drive back, the same thing happened. From what I observed, there are these ridges along the road, which perhaps are created for added friction during icy conditions, and I think this was what was making our car hum.
Another thing: On the drive toward the pass (from Shari), the car navigation system refused to acknowledge that the Shiretoko Pass was open (early June) and kept trying to guide us the long way round to Rausu. I had checked prior to our trip and was almost certain the pass was open, so ignored the car navi and used Google Map.
