The Furepe Falls is located in Shiretoko, Eastern Hokkaido in Japan, and is part of the World Natural Heritage Site. You can get there on foot from the Shiretoko National Nature Center. The pathway is gentle and not way long. It will take about one hour to go to the waterfalls and back to the nature center.
The falls are fed by groundwater, which surfaces just at the top of them, meaning there is no visible river. As a result, the water flow is delicate and seems like a girl weeping. This is because the falls are called “Furepe,” which means “maiden’s tears” in the indigenous word of this area. The Furepe Falls are not fully energetic, but you can find them beautiful and modest.
The Furepe Falls are impressive, but the path to get there is excellent as well. You can walk through forests and grasslands and see the Shiretoko mountains and flowers. With luck, you may see wild deer. If you want to enjoy this fresh greenery, the best season to visit there is in the summer. However, climate changes quickly, so I recommend you bring rain gear, along with a hat and a bottle of water.
🛫Airports and 🚌Buses
If you arrive at Memanbetsu airport, you can get on “Shari bus” to go to Shiretoko Utoro where is an entrance to the World Natural Heritage Site. It has different timetables depending on the season. You should check it on the Shari bus’s website.
Next, you can get on another “Shari bus” in Shiretoko Utoro to go to the Furepe Falls (The bus stop is the Shiretoko National Nature Center). This local bus’s timetable changes every season. You should check it on the Shari bus’s website as well.
🏛️ Nature Center
The Shiretoko National Nature Center is the starting and ending point for taking a stroll to the Furepe Falls. There are some displays introducing vegetation and wild animals in Shiretoko, a clothing shop, and a cafe. You can learn about nature and purchase a hat or rainwear before walking. If you are thirsty after walking, you can buy various drinks at a cafe. My recommendation is a yogurt smoothie with berries.
I hope this article will help your stroll. Thanks for reading 😆