What other travelers are saying about Shiretoko Pass
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.
A nice stop over between Utoro to Ruasu. The road condition is good and easy to drive in the summer. The view is good but there are several other great view along the route.
