Northern lights Rishiri Island tonight

Otatomari Pond is a small lake on the south coast of Rishiri Island, directly below the Rishiri-Fuji volcano (1,721 m). The pond reflects the volcano's conical summit in calm conditions - in daylight this is one of the most photographed views in Hokkaido. At night, with aurora active, the combination of the volcano silhouette and the sky reflection gives a composition available nowhere else in Japan. Bortle Class 2. The car park is lit but the far shore of the pond gives a dark position. The water is accessible from the main island road year-round.

Senhoshi Cape on the western coast faces the Japan Sea with no land visible to the west or north. Bortle Class 1-2. The cliff-top positions above the cape give an elevated view over open ocean. Rishiri-Fuji rises behind to the east as a dark silhouette. At Kp 5, aurora appears above the western horizon over the sea. The cape road is accessible by car; the final section to the headland may require walking on foot in winter conditions. Cold and exposed - wind from the northwest is common in winter and significantly increases wind chill.

The north shore of Kutsugata Cape faces across the La Perouse Strait in the direction of Sakhalin Island. Bortle Class 2. The low coastal terrain gives an unobstructed northern horizon - the most important direction for aurora at this latitude. Rishiri-Fuji is visible behind and to the south, providing a landscape reference. The harbour at Kutsugata is small and has minimal lighting. Combined with Senhoshi Cape on the west coast, this gives two distinct aurora photography positions within 20 minutes of each other on the island road.