Hokkaido · Wakkanai
White Road (Soya Hills) From scallop shells underfoot to the summer hills
At the White Road in Soya Hills, I found myself studying what the road was made of. Come along for a summer walk among the scallop shells and the hills beyond.
On a summer walk, I held a little shell up to the sky and looked out at the wind turbines on the hill. I wanted to take my time looking at both the distant view and the ground at my feet.
SummerA summer day walking in the hills
I came to see the road and got absorbed in the shells
When I first saw the road, it was far whiter than I'd imagined—I couldn't help saying, “Whoa.” It ran through the summer grass and continued over the hill beyond. I'd come planning to take pictures to show my friend, but I was the first one to get caught up in the view.
Once I started walking, I saw little fragments everywhere underfoot. I crouched down for a closer look and saw that some of the pieces still had the curve of a shell. I thought the road was gravel, but these pieces were scallop shells. I hadn't expected shells left after a meal to make a landscape like this. Discovering that felt like a little bonus.
I held one of the fragments up to the sky. In the light, I could make out even the fine lines on it. I'd taken out my phone to photograph the view in the distance, but the first thing I took a picture of was the shell in my hand. My friend would probably laugh and ask, “What happened to the road photos?”
When I looked up, I could see a row of wind turbines beyond the hill. The scenery had been there all along, even while I was focused on the shells. I traced the scene with my eyes, from the little fragments at my feet to the hill in the distance, and the road seemed to stretch farther than before.
I put the fragment back at my feet and, this time, took a few photos with the road in the frame. The wind kept blowing my hair across my face, so I held it back with one hand as I took them. I especially liked the gentle curves where the road followed the hillside instead of running straight. It made me want to keep walking.
I decided on two photos to show my friend when I got home: one of the road and one of a shell. If she asked which was the star, I’d probably say, “Both.” It would have been a shame to spend the whole walk looking only into the distance.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Wakkanai scallops
Scallops are a Wakkanai specialty, and it's their shells that pave the White Road. After walking along it, I found myself curious about trying scallops, too.
Highlights
A road paved with scallop shells
Wakkanai scallops are a local specialty, and their shells are used to pave a stretch of road about 3 km long. I was amazed by how white it looked from a distance, then found myself wanting to inspect the little pieces up close.
From Soya Hills towards the Sea of Okhotsk
The road runs through Soya Hills towards the Sea of Okhotsk. I stopped to look at the shells, then noticed the hills and wind turbines beyond. I found it hard to start walking again.
Route details
White Road, Soya Hills
- Length of the White Road
- About 3 km
- Drive estimate from Cape Soya
- About 10 minutes
Make the White Road your destination as you head from Cape Soya towards the hills. When I arrived, I found myself as curious about the ground at my feet as I was about the road ahead.
Seeing Cape Soya and the hills on the same map makes it easy to picture a trip that takes in the sea before stopping at the White Road. It's about a 10-minute drive from Cape Soya.
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