Cape Sōya


Cape Sōya is the northernmost point of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. It is situated in Wakkanai, Sōya Subprefecture. The Monument of the Northernmost Point of Japan is at the cape, although the true northernmost point under Japanese control is a small deserted island called Bentenjima, northwest. Since the cape is just away across La Perouse Strait from Cape Crillon, Sakhalin Island, Russia, it is possible to catch a glimpse of the island of Sakhalin on a clear day.
There are more than ten monuments at Cape Sōya, including the Monument of the northernmost Point of Japan, the Tower of Prayer, a statue of Mamiya Rinzō, the Monument of Peace. Sōya Misaki settlement, east of the cape, has many facilities known to be "the northernmost in Japan", such as the northernmost lighthouse, the northernmost filling station, the northernmost elementary school, and so on.

Monument of Peace

On the site of Cape Sōya stands the Monument of Peace, a memorial to the, sunk with 80 men aboard on October 11, 1943, as well as 5 Japanese merchant ships sunk with 690 people, attacked by Wahoo. The inscription on the memorial reads in part:
The exact position of Wahoo was confirmed by a dive team from the Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd in July 2006.

Gallery