Omazaki Cape

Omazaki is a cape at the northwestern tip of the Shimokita Peninsula and the northernmost point of Honshu. Because "Oma tuna" is famous nationwide, the area features not only a monument marking the northernmost point of Honshu, but also a huge monument that reads "Oma, the town of one-line tuna fishing." The waters around Omazaki have fast currents, and about 500 meters offshore on Benten Island stands the Omazaki Lighthouse, a 25.4-meter-tall lighthouse with distinctive black-and-white horizontal stripes. From Omazaki, on clear days you can even see the city of Hakodate about 35 kilometers away. If you visit Omazaki, tuna is a must. Fishing takes place from around August to around January, and tuna caught from autumn to winter is said to be especially rich and delicious. Be sure to try authentic Oma tuna at local restaurants around the cape (it may not be available in the off-season or when the sea is rough). On Sundays in September and October, an event called "Sunday is Maguro DAY" is also held, where you can buy and eat tuna after a tuna carving show. If you are not comfortable with raw fish, try grilled tuna kama (the collar area under the gills) or kabuto-yaki (grilled tuna head). At the Omazaki Rest House, you can also purchase a "Northernmost Point of Honshu Omazaki Arrival Certificate" as a travel souvenir.