Rausu faces the other way. It is a fishing town on the eastern coast of the Shiretoko peninsula, looking out across the narrow Nemuro Strait to Kunashir, which on a clear day seems close enough to touch. The town's life revolves around the sea. Boats go out for salmon, pollock and kelp, which is dried on the beach in summer and sold across Japan, and in winter the harbour is filled with drift ice that arrives from the Sea of Okhotsk. It is a small place of low houses, warehouses and a modest main street, but it has fuel, a few shops and several places to eat.
The sea here is among the richest in the north Pacific, and the town has become a centre for wildlife watching. Boat trips go out to see whales, including sperm whales and orcas in summer, and sea birds crowd the cliffs. In winter, Steller's sea eagles and white-tailed eagles gather on the ice in large numbers, a spectacle for photographers. The town also has hot springs, including a riverside bath open to all, in which bathers soak with a view of the forest.
For riders, Rausu is the end of the road across the pass, and the descent from the summit is a joy, with the sea ahead and long bends through forest. The surface is good and traffic light, though fog can come in from the sea and reduce visibility. On the east coast, the weather is often cooler and cloudier than in Utoro, and the wind can be strong. Take a layer, even in summer.
Local food is simple and fresh. Grilled salmon, kelp soup, and dishes of sea urchin and crab are on every menu, and the fishermen's cooperative runs a market. The best months for riding are June to September. After the long ride across the peninsula, a plate of fresh seafood and a hot bath in the evening make a fine finish.