is an island in the Sea of Japan off the northwestern tip of Hokkaidō, Japan. The island sits off the coast of Hokkaidō. Rebun stretches from north to south and from east to west. The island covers approximately . Rebun Island is located northwest of Rishiri Island, and the two islands are separated by the Rebun Channel.
Rebun Island is known for its alpine flowers and the 8-Hour Hiking Course which runs from one end of the island to the other, north to south. The hiking course can be broken into two sections, known as the 4-Hour Hiking Courses. Rebun Island is home to a chashi, or hilltop fortification of the Ainu people. The highest point on the island is Mount Rebun (). The island is part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park.
Fossilized remains of long-finned pilot whales that are now extinct in the north Pacific have been excavated on Rebun Island, and remains of funerals for orcas, possibly referring them as Repun Kamuy (God of Sea/Offshore) have been found as well. Rebun Island is also the site where the last reliable record of the extinct Japanese sea lion came from in 1974.
Etymology
The name of the island comes from the Ainu language, in which "Repun" means "(island) in the open sea" (from rep "the offing, open sea" + -un "to be in ~").
Climate
Areas of interest
Mount Rebun
Peach Rock, or Momoiwa
Jizo Rock
Cat Rock, or Nekoiwa
Cape Sukoton
Cape Kaneda
Cape Gorota
Cape Sukai
Todo Island
Lake Kushu
Yamunai Valley
Rebun Forest Road
Rebun Falls
Communities
All communities on Rebun Island are part of the town of Rebun in Rebun District. From roughly from north to south, they are: Sukoton Awabikoton Hamanaka Funadomari Horodomari Uedomari Nairo Kitousu Kafukai Kafuka Shiretoko
Transportation
Ferry link to Rishiri Island, Wakkanai, and Otaru via Rishiri
Air link to Wakkanai Airport
Ancient people
A Jomon woman excavated from Funadomari remains (about 3,800 - 3,500 YBP) on the Rebun Island in Hokkaido belongs to Haplogroup D1b2a(D-CTS220). This discovery proved the hypothesis that Haplogroup D1b is one of the Jomon linages.
In popular culture
In the manga and anime series Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, the island is the last step in the Promotion test which takes place across Hokkaido Island.