Cape Sōya

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Satellite image of the cape, 1977.

Cape Sōya (宗谷岬, Sōya Misaki^?) is the northernmost point of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. It is situated in Wakkanai, Sōya Subprefecture. There is the Monument of the Northernmost Point of Japan (日本最北端の地の碑^?) on the cape, although the true northernmost point under Japanese control is a small deserted island called Bentenjima, 1km northwest from the cape. Since the cape is just 43km away across La Perouse Strait from Cape Crillon, Sakhalin Island, Russia, it is possible to catch a glimpse of the island on a clear day.

There are more than ten monuments in Cape Sōya, including the Monument of the Northernmost Point of Japan, the Tower of Prayer (a memorial of Korean Air Lines Flight 007, 1983), the statue of Mamiya Rinzō, the Monument of Peace (a memorial of USS Wahoo), and others. [1] Sōya Misaki settlement, right east to the cape, has lots of "northernmost in Japan" facilities, such as the northernmost lighthouse (Cape Sōya Lighthouse), the northernmost filling station (Idemitsu Cape Sōya SS), the northernmost elementary school (Ōmisaki Elementary School), and so on.

[edit] The Monument of Peace

On the site of Cape Sōya stands the Monument of Peace, a memorial to the USS Wahoo, 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 memborial reads in part:

"When the Wahoo was lost it was the highest-scoring submarine in the U.S. Navy. Eighty Americans sleep in the Soya Strait 12 miles northeast of here. Many Japanese sleep in the Sea of Japan from Wahoo attacks. This monument was erected by the members of the Japanese Attack Group and relatives of Americans lying in the Wahoo. Old enemies met as brothers to dedicated that our countries will have lasting peace and war will never again destroy the friendship we now enjoy today." (George E. Logue) [2]

The exact position of the Wahoo was confirmed and fixed by a dive team from the Sakhalin Energy Investment Company, LTD in July, 2006.

[edit] See also

Extreme points of Japan

[edit] Gallery

Sunset	The Monument of the Northernmost Point of Japan	A view from a hill nearby	Statue of Mamiya Rinzō
The "Music Monument" which automatically plays the song Sōya-misaki each time a visitor stands in front.	The Tower of Prayer, a memorial of Korean Air Lines Flight 007.	Cape Sōya Lighthouse	The obeservatory, once used by the Imperial Japanese Navy to monitor the strait, during the time of Russo-Japanese War.
Idemitsu Cape Sōya SS, the northernmost filling station	Sōya Junior High School, the northernmost junior high school	Ōmisaki Elementary School, the northernmost elementary school	Array of the "northernmost" shops