Rishiri Airport: Under an Hour from Sapporo to a Runway Facing Mt. Rishiri

My flight left New Chitose Airport, outside Sapporo, at 12:30, and less than an hour later the plane stopped on the runway at Rishiri Airport with Mt. Rishiri filling the window. Rishiri Airport (airport code RIS) is the small airport on the north side of Rishiri Island, off the northern tip of Hokkaido, and flying in is the quickest way to reach the island from Sapporo. I flew in and out in June 2026 and picked up and returned my rental car right at the airport, so here are the flights, fares and car steps as I found them.

1Flights from Sapporo to Rishiri Airport

Rishiri Airport has flights from both of Sapporo's airports. JAL flies from Okadama Airport, a small airport inside Sapporo city. The flight takes about 50 minutes and runs once a day, or twice a day on some summer days, mostly weekends and holidays. ANA flies from New Chitose Airport, the main airport for Sapporo, in summer only (Rishiri Plus, the island's tourism site, as of November 2026). In 2026 the ANA flights run from June 1 to September 30 (ANA, as of November 10, 2026).

I flew out on ANA from New Chitose and back on JAL to Okadama.

The two fares are different types, and prices move a lot with the date and how full the flight is. The lowest recent examples on the airlines' own sites are 21,300 yen round trip on ANA between New Chitose and Rishiri (out June 21, back June 24, 2027) and 11,000 yen one way on JAL from Rishiri to Okadama (November 30, 2026) (ANA, JAL, as of November 13, 2026, fares for dates searched in the previous 48 hours).

Why I flew out of one airport and back to the other

I mixed the airports to get more time on the island. The New Chitose flight arrives earlier, and the Okadama flight leaves later, so I was out on the island from 14:00 on the first day, when I drove away from the airport, until 15:00 on the third day, when I returned the car.

If you need to fly back to New Chitose, for example to connect to an international flight, the ANA flight leaves Rishiri at 14:05 and arrives at New Chitose at 14:55, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier than the JAL flight to Okadama (ANA timetable, July to September 2026, as of November 13, 2026).

I booked both flights on April 19, about two months ahead, on the same day as the hotel and the rental car.

The view from the plane

The window is half the fun. Soon after taking off from New Chitose, around Iwamizawa, northeast of Sapporo, I could see the Ishikari River winding across the plain.

Over the sea between Wakkanai, the town at the northern tip of mainland Hokkaido, and Rishiri Island, the Sarobetsu wetland stretched along the coast.

When the plane stopped on the runway at Rishiri, Mt. Rishiri was right outside the window.

2Renting a car at Rishiri Airport

I rented a Toyota Yaris from Toyota Rent a Car's Rishiri Airport branch for about 49 hours, for 45,100 yen. Because I picked it up and returned it at the airport, getting around the island was never a problem. To drive in Japan you need an International Driving Permit or, for some countries, an official Japanese translation of your license, and traffic drives on the left.

Picking up the car at the counter

After landing, I went to the Toyota Rent a Car counter inside the airport, did the paperwork and got the key. The car was in the parking lot right outside the airport exit, in the back left corner in my case. The staff tell you where it is, so I had no trouble finding it.

Paying at the office in Oshidomari

You don't pay at the airport. I paid at Toyota Rent a Car's office in the ferry terminal at Oshidomari, the port town about five minutes by car from the airport. Any time during the office's opening hours before you return the car is fine; I stopped in on day two when I was there for a sea urchin lunch at Isoyakitei, across from the terminal. I paid by credit card.

Returning the car at the airport

My return time was 15:00 on the last day. The car goes back with a full tank, so I filled up just before at the ENEOS station in Oshidomari. I drove about 182 km in three days and only needed fuel that once.

At the airport you park in the parking lot and leave the key in the case inside the car. Leaving the key behind felt a little uneasy, but it worked fine.

3How early to get to Rishiri Airport for your flight back

For my 16:25 flight I arrived at about 15:00 to be safe. There is no shop on the first floor. The second floor has a cafe and a local products corner, but when I was there around 15:00 on June 26, both were closed.

The only thing I did there was look at Mt. Rishiri from the second-floor deck. You'll have time on your hands, so an hour before departure is plenty. Eat and buy your souvenirs before you drive to the airport.

Rishiri Island Souvenirs: Buy Them on the Road, Not at the AirportRishiri Island souvenirs I bought: kelp topping at Otatomari Pond, pudding in Oniwaki and tororo kombu in Senhoshi, and why not to wait for the airport.

4FAQ about Rishiri Airport

Q1. Can you eat at Rishiri Airport?

Don't count on it. The second floor has a cafe and a local products corner, but both were closed when I was there around 15:00 on June 26, before the afternoon flight. There is no shop on the first floor.

Q2. Is there a bus from Rishiri Airport?

Soya Bus, which runs the buses on Rishiri, lists a Rishiri Airport bus that runs only in season, June 1 to September 30 in 2026 (Soya Bus, as of November 2026). I didn't take it myself, so check the timetable on that page before you plan around it.

Q3. How early should you get to Rishiri Airport?

I arrived about 1 hour 25 minutes before my flight and had almost nothing to do. An hour before is plenty.

5More on Rishiri Island

From the airport I started a two-night loop of the island by car, beginning with lunch in Oshidomari and Himenuma Pond. Here is the whole drive with times and costs.

Rishiri Island Itinerary: 2 or 3 Days Around Mt. Rishiri by Rental CarA Sapporo local's Rishiri Island itinerary by rental car, with real times: flights from Sapporo, picking up the car at the airport, Himenuma Pond, Cape Peshi, sea urchin season and prices, where to stay, costs, and a shorter 1-night version.