Where is the island of Kunashir. Inhabited island. Kunashir, Yuzhno-Kurilsk. Cape Stolbchaty on Kunashir
If you look at the Kuril Islands, Kunashir Island is considered the southernmost. Translated from the Ainu language means "Black Island". It received this name because natural features: its territory is covered with dark coniferous forests.
Who is the owner?
The Ainu were considered the indigenous inhabitants of the Kuriles and Kunashir. The first visitors never found out if they were subordinate to Japan or not. But the Japanese still came here to fish. Trade relations were also with the Russians. In 1875, Russia and Japan concluded an agreement: Kunashir remained under the rule of Japan, and in return Russia received the island of Sakhalin. However, after the Great Patriotic War in 1945 Russia became the mistress of the island.
Geography of the island
If you look at Kunashir on the map, you can see that the neighbors are Japan and about. Iturup. total area islands - 1490 square kilometers, length - 123 km, width from 7 km to 30 km. Kunashir is a border zone, so military units are located here.
On physical map it is clearly seen that the island consists of mountain ranges. There are four active volcano: Tyatya, Rurui, Mendeleev, Golovnina.
The South Kuril City District is located on the island Sakhalin region. The population is 7518 according to 2018 data. National composition of the island's population: the main part is Russians (80.3%), the rest are Ukrainians (8.2%), Tatars (1.2%), Belarusians (1.1%), Kazakhs (1%) and other peoples, including diaspora peoples of the Caucasus. The largest settlement on the map is the city of Yuzhno-Kurilsk.
Describing Kunashir, Wikipedia mentions six residential settlements and four non-residential ones.
Life in Kunashir
Thanks to a large number rivers and lakes, the soil is suitable for growing crops such as vegetables. Primary activity for the processing of seafood. There are farms where cows, sheep, pigs, poultry are bred.
The island of Kunashir is supplied with electricity and heat by the Mendeleev Geothermal Power Plant.
You can get to Kunashir by water and by air. Sea passenger and cargo traffic is carried out on the ship "Igor Farkhutdinov". He goes to Sakhalin and neighboring islands Shikotan and Iturup. Air communication carried out by flights from the Mendeleev airport. Flights are often delayed due to weather conditions.
Medical service on the island is not the best level. There is not enough equipment and medicines, so local residents go to Sakhalin for help.
Kunashir for tourists
Tourists who wish to visit Kunashir, must issue a pass at the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk border department. Those who wish to visit protected areas apply for a pass at the administration of the reserve.
Four mighty volcanoes are the first thing visitors see when they swim up to the island. The Mendeleev Volcano is famous for its hot springs. They are organized into sanatoriums, where those who wish to improve their health or recuperate can take baths with mineral composition.
Another volcano, Golovina, known for its unique lakes Hot and Boiling. They are unique in their active fumaroles, which are located very close to each other. Because of this location, the water in the lake becomes hot, in some places up to 80 degrees.
Volcano Rurui is inaccessible to tourists or even researchers due to impenetrable thickets.
In Yuzhno-Kurilsk you can visit Museum of Local Lore. There is a lot of material about the history of Kunashir and its indigenous population.
A controversial and daring island, home to desperate romantics, fishermen and the military. Here you can see how the sun wakes up, rising from where the closest Russian neighbor is located - Shikotan. Here you can see where the luminary goes to rest - it hides behind the islands of Japan, so in Kunashir no one considers its neighbor a Country rising sun, quite the opposite.
unusual island
It takes a lot of courage to live in this secluded place, where state television broadcasts and the services of domestic operators cellular communication available not always and not everywhere. Where it is noisy from cars, and at the same time there is no paved road. Where there are still disputes about whose land this is. Where the cries of seagulls and the sound of the surf merge into one rumble that accompanies the traveler even after he leaves the island. Where a deck for political games hangs out and large-scale weapons are planned with the installation of atomic weapons. Where is four high volcano, bears roam and fish sometimes become more in the river than water. But first things first.
The first to meet a traveler who is approaching the island is Tyatya. beautiful volcano classical regular shape with a smoothly rising vent and a wide rounded crater. Black Island is the ancient name of this piece of land. Black from the dark green forest, from the gloomy shade of Tyat and from the rich black color of the local soils. The gloomy impression of the island left its mark on his name. It's unusual here, which is why it's interesting.
Whose island?
On Kunashir, as well as on other islands of the Kuriles, the Ainu have long lived. They were met by the island's discoverers, who were never able to figure out whether the natives of Japan were subordinate or free. One way or another, the Japanese penetrated the island, built their own fishing posts, and fished. They carried out colonization and received all the rights to the island, in exchange for the recognition of Sakhalin in full Russian territory in 1875. The Russian island became after the end of the Second World War, in 1945. Then the Japanese left the island, and military units of the USSR were permanently located on its territory. The entire Kunashir is considered a border zone, visiting it is limited to a special pass.
Volcanoes - great and different
Of the greatest interest to tourists are the volcanoes of the island, there are four in total. In addition to the already mentioned Tyati - highest point islands, there is Mendeleev volcano, no less interesting for its hot springs, as well as Golovin and Rurui.
Golovin Volcano is curious in that the next tourist attraction lies in its vicinity - two lakes that are so unique and unusual that their fame goes all over the world - Hot and Boiling. There are many active fumaroles in the water area and on the coast of Goryachiy. Their location is so dense that the water in the lake reaches 80 degrees in some places and it is dangerous to swim in it, because of the risk of being boiled alive. The warm lake, artificially connected to the first narrow ditch, has a pleasant temperature and is very picturesque.
The springs, in the vicinity of the Mendeleev volcano, are organized into a sanatorium. Through bamboo tubes, water runs from here to the baths, which are taken by those who wish to improve their health and restore strength. These baths have a rich mineral composition, each treats various ailments.
Kunashir - so small and so different
A relatively small island, almost 1500 sq. km, surprises with a variety of climate and landscapes. Here you can see a lot of things: mountain heights, short fast rivers with waterfalls, flat coastal areas, mud and lava volcanoes, hot mineral springs and lakes of water different temperatures. There are unequipped hot springs not far from the volcano in the area of the Kisloye Creek, where you can enjoy the miracle of nature in more ascetic conditions.
On the territory of the island there are single springs of volcanic nature, they are scattered along the coast Sea of Okhotsk and along the coast Pacific Ocean. The island is dominated by monsoons, the humid climate guarantees frequent rains. Precipitation fills small short island rivers that cover the island in a dense network. Thanks to this, there is no shortage in Kunashir fresh water like on some others Kuril territories. The island has areas under protection due to rare species (84 in total - a lot for a small area) and the landscapes located within them. Here you need to take a pass in Yuzhno-Kurilsk. This will give you the opportunity to admire rare basalts. mountain parts islands.
Interesting weather and nature of Kunashir island
The unusual climate of the island cannot be compared with any other area the globe. Kunashir lies on the same latitude as Crimean peninsula however, it is not so hot here. Summer is cool, colder here than in the middle lane. Spring begins slowly and struggles with winter for a long time, even in May frosts are not uncommon. Warm current Soy softens the effect of cold coast of Okhotsk. It is warmer here than on Sakhalin. In winter, a lot of snow falls at low sub-zero temperatures. The golden time for tourists comes in autumn. A riot of colors and warm, dry weather.
The nature of the island is much richer than in the rest of the archipelago. A variety of representatives of coniferous and deciduous trees, a rare species of magnolia, Kuril bamboo, yew, viburnum, cherry and cedar elfin, creepers and mushrooms - the neighborhood is perfect various kinds, which on the mainland never live in the same habitat. special attention deserves an ancient plant Far East which is over 1000 years old! This is a yew tree with a trunk diameter of 130 cm. A visit to such a place gives an idea of the great variety of life forms on the planet - the unusual relief, climate, flora and fauna of Kunashir combine so many and interestingly. The main problem of the island is weak developed infrastructure. But serious work is underway on this - they plan to build processing and canning factories in order to increase the profitability of seafood production.
By 2016, it is planned to upgrade the weapons of military units on the island. Japan does not want to give up its claims to Kunashir, the situation around the islands is aggravated, this brings coolness to relations between Russia and Japan. However, Russian government does not even talk about the possibility of giving up the right to own the island. The head of the country and government groups make visits here, which finally makes it clear that the territory of the island belongs to the Russian Federation.
Path to the island
You can get to the island by air. In the village of Mendeleevo there is an airport that provides communication with Sakhalin. Due to difficult weather conditions, flights are very unstable, so most travelers prefer to go to the island by boat. It departs from the Sakhalin port of Korsakovo, enters Shikotan Bay and disembarks cargo and passengers at Iturup. The flight operates twice a week. You should remember about the issuance of a pass for all non-residents, which is carried out at the border department of the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. This is done quickly within one day. Tourists wishing to visit protected area- the southern and northern extremities of the island - you should first issue a pass in Yuzhno-Kurilsk by contacting the administration of the reserve.
The Kuriles are like a beautiful woman,
which is only open to
who is really interested in her...
Kunashir is the southernmost of the Kuril Islands.
The area is 1490 km², length - 123 km, width - from 4 to 30 km.
The island is part of the Yuzhno-Kurilsky district of the Sakhalin region of Russia. The center is the urban-type settlement of Yuzhno-Kurilsk (population 5751 inhabitants, 2002).
Other settlements with approximate distances from Yuzhno-Kurilsk: Otrada (4 km., earlier - the central estate of the state farm "Dalniy"); Lagunnoye (7 km., military unit); Hot Beach(8 km., border detachment, entry is limited, geothermal hydropathic); Mendeleevo (24 km., airport); Dubovoe (50 km.), Golovnino (54 km.); suburban village Tretyakovo.
visit
The entire territory of the island is a border zone. For entry, non-residents must obtain a pass at the Sakhalin Border Administration (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk). In addition to this, the southern (from the Sernovodka river) and northern (from the Tyatinka river) parts of the island are the territory of the South Kuril Reserve; For tourist trips you need to get a pass at the administration of the reserve in Yuzhno-Kurilsk.
Attractions
There are four volcanoes on the island: Tyatya (1819 m., symbol of the island); Rurui (1486 m.); Mendeleev (887 m.) and Golovnin (541 m.)
In the caldera of the Golovnin volcano, there are lakes Boiling and Goryacheye. There are numerous fumaroles on the shores of Lake Boiling and in the lake itself.
There are many hot springs on the island. volcanic origin. They are mainly concentrated on the slopes of the Mendeleev volcano, where most of them serve as equipped (Hot Beach) or wild (Sour Creek, Rosinka) resting places. There is also a fumarole field and geothermal power plant. Separate sources are found on the Okhotsk (Alyokhino, Tretyakovo, 17th kilometer, Rudnoye) and Pacific (Seagull) coasts.
UNESCO natural monument - basalt rocks of Cape Stolbchaty. From the island you can see the Japanese peninsula of Shiretoko.
Once these places were inhabited by the Ainu tribe. The tribe is mysterious, little studied. Scientists still cannot come to a common opinion about its origin. The Ainu did not have a written language, and Slavic, Aryan and Japanese roots unexpectedly mixed in the language. The Ainu had many legends and traditions. There were even special storytellers in the villages, for whom keeping ancient legends was not a job or a hobby, but an honorary right given only to the most deserving.
For example, the Ainu believed that their people appeared in this way. A long time ago, a young man wondered why he lives in this world? And went to long way- look for answers. Once he stopped for the night in the house where she lived beautiful girl. The girl told the young man that the news of his arrival had already arrived. The next day, the young man set off again and again stopped for the night in the house where a beautiful girl lived - the sister of the previous one. And again the girl told the young man that the news about him had already come. On the third day, the young man spent the night with the third - the younger sister. In the morning, the girl showed the young man the way through three mountains to the fourth mountain - the largest, on top of which there is a golden house. And she said that in this house he would find out why he lives. The young man crossed three mountains, climbed the fourth and entered the golden house. There he was met by a man and told that the young man was destined to become a parent for all people on earth. And those three girls who gave him lodging for the night were goddesses - the morning star, the midnight star and the evening star. Each of them will bear him a child. From them the human race will go on earth. This is such a beautiful legend.
Topographic map of Kunashir Island
My adventures in the Kuril Islands were among the most memorable. You have no idea how long I dreamed of visiting this majestic place. The furious Sea of Okhotsk has lured more than one tourist with its beauty. I visited the island of Kunashir.
How to get to Kunashir island?
The road was quite long. For 8 hours on the plane, I managed to sleep 2 times, eat once and win several chess tournaments on the tablet. The flight, of course, is essential. But all the difficulties associated with the road are just nonsense, compared to my dreams and the expectation that I will now see a wonderful and mysterious place. Can you imagine? You fly, fly and land in Russia again. That is, he flew only to Sakhalin. This is how vast our Motherland is.
After landing in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, I took a regular bus to the pier and boarded a ship that goes to the island of Kunashir. By the way, tourists take note. The ship goes to the island only 2 times a week, so plan your arrival carefully so as not to waste time.
It takes almost a day to get to the islands by sea, but it's better than waiting for good weather to fly by plane. It's almost always very bad weather and with flights, of course, tension. Weather very unpredictable here. The sun was just about to shine, and a few minutes later the sky was covered with clouds and a heavy downpour began.
Well, here I am in Kunashir
Kunashir Island is the southernmost kuril island. It is also called the black earth. It consists of three rocky ridges. The peak of the island is Tyatya volcano. The length of Kunashir is about 125 kilometers. The island is washed Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean.
On a note: To visit the island you need to get a special pass, as it is border area And free entry on the island is prohibited.
The roads on the island are just terrible, all broken, in some places pieces of asphalt. Before the trip, I found a girl on the Internet who agreed to give me shelter and introduce me to the island. Nowadays, couchsurfing is practiced everywhere. This is when people different countries of the world invite tourists from other countries to live for free, in exchange for the fact that someday they will also be able to come to visit you. My friend's name is Anna. She has been living in the Kuril Islands since birth and can tell a lot of interesting things. Anna told me that asphalt might be laid here this year. I really hope, because it is simply impossible to walk through such pits. And, if you drive, then only in cars with very high traffic.
With Anna, we drove to the edge of the island. We stood on the coast. There was a storm on the sea and a strong wind that almost knocked down. Oh, this is not how I imagined the island of Kunashir, oh, not like that. Well, what to do? I will explore the local beauty. In the village, most of the houses are low-rise, and this is no accident, because earthquakes happen here periodically. Everything is somehow gray, dank, and even this incessant rain! But despite the nuances, the Kuriles are very beautiful. Here, the earth and the raging water element somehow coexist.
I would especially like to note that the air here is very clean, around impregnable mountains and the seething sea, which, as it feeds local residents, and punishes. Periodically, fishermen do not return to their native land.
sea fishing
Anna offered to show me how the fish is caught here. Sea fishing is very exciting, and I immediately agreed. The captain of the fishing boat turned out to be the brother of a friend of mine. Huge ship was at the pier. But despite the promise of a storm, the fishermen needed to get back to fishing. After all, if you came with a catch, then you will be with money. But no - so back to the elements.
The ship is just huge, lots of compartments and a big crew. There is also a female cook who prepares goodies for all fishermen. I also discovered a wonderful sauna, where you can warm up chilled bones and even take a steam bath. Can you imagine? Sauna on a fishing boat. Never would have thought.
They also showed me the local laundromat. There are washing machines and dryers that sailors use on their own. How else? After all, they go to sea for several weeks and life must be organized at the level.
It's foggy and drizzling outside, but the sailors don't care. The Kuriles are the backyards of the empire, as Pikul wrote. And this one actually is. Late in the evening we came across a school of fish. The sailors began to trawl. Interesting. And everyone is very happy, because the well-being of sailors and their families depends on the catch here. When the seine was raised, I was simply dumbfounded. How many fish there were! Very, very many. 
I came across cod, and pollock, and goby. The catch is immediately filtered and frozen.
By noon the next day, a boat came for me and Anna, and we set off for Earth. For a long time, this fishing and the fate of these people did not go out of my head. What good fellows they are, and even despite the constant closed space on the ship and hard physical work, they remained cheerful and positive.
Does the boiling lake in the Kuriles really boil?
We arrived on the island by boat and headed to the Boiling and Hot lakes, where there is a wonderful nature reserve. There Anyuta introduced me to the guide Ekaterina. Katya told me about local animals, plants and insects. I saw two wonderful deep lakes with the purest water.
There is so much greenery in the reserve. Here, the incongruous is so unusually combined. Far Eastern climate with tropical, northern winds with the southern sun. Here is one parallel with Sochi. That is why you can hear the singing of cicadas here and the sun's rays are so hot that it's time to take off your jacket and warm yourself. Around the bamboo thickets that save the island from being washed into the water. 
He, like a dense mesh, digs his roots into the ground, and even after heavy rains, does not slide into the sea is not a piece of soil. The hydrangea is in bloom here. These lush flowers stand out especially among the riot of greenery.
And the lakes are so named precisely because one of them really boils like a pot over a fire, even steam spreads. A hot lake is just hotter. You can also take good mud baths here, but I didn’t fool around with this. Since I wanted to see as much as possible, but there was not so much time.
By the way, Ekaterina said that quite recently poisonous snakes appeared on the island, which had never been here before. And poisonous spiders were also discovered, which also did not understand how they ended up on the island. And all these bastards now live comfortably here and actively breed. Spiders are tarantulas. Moreover, they live in minks on the seashore, and exactly where all people rest. Scary.
But the truth is, I did not expect that after the Kuriles unkindly met me, I would be able to see some local beauties. But on Boiling, all my fears dissipated like smoke. I saw that the Kuriles are not only harsh and formidable, but also green, tender and blooming.
How bears steal fish from fishermen
In the evening, Ekaterina's husband treated us to a gorgeous fish soup made from freshly caught fish. As it turned out, he recently returned from fishing with a good catch. But he also complained that now they have to bring prey less, since the bears and seals have learned to break the nets and poach the caught fish into the impudent poking.
I was so taken aback by this story. I immediately imagined how a bear, looking around like a thief, creeps like a plastun to the nets. Then he gnaws them, throws the fish into the bag and runs into the den. When I voiced my thoughts, the whole company laughed in unison. But the fact remains that animals have also learned to keep up with the times. Most often, bears do this to feed their cubs.
Where can you fish with your hands?
In the morning I had a tour around the island on a boat. I also saw several rivers. Here they are short and shallow, that is, not above the knee. And in the sea shoals of salmon, which went to spawn. And in this regard, there were bears on the shore, which now have a lot of food. And therefore, they, like real gourmets, ate only fish heads, and the rest of the fish just lay on the shore.
To see how the bears catch fish is not an opportunity for every tourist. A little further away, we landed on the shore, and I saw fish in the river, which was terrifying here, how many. Huge salmon could easily be grabbed by hand. It's just incredible. Enchanting. I grabbed fish with such excitement that I didn’t even notice how I scooped full boots of water. When the first enthusiasm passed, I realized that I was quite cold.
After the walk, we went home to warm up and take a steam bath. The brooms here are mostly bamboo and smell like grass. How wonderful after such a busy day, just like that to warm up and drink tea with raspberries.
By the way, the locals learn Japanese and love Japanese beer. The language is taught by the Japanese themselves, and for free. And it's amazing.
Volcano Tyatya
I stayed in Kunashir for another day to see the Tyatya volcano. The territory of this volcano is the territory of bears. I went here with a guide. The place is very dangerous. You need to move quite carefully and listen to all the sounds. And be sure to follow the path. As we walked, I was very nervous and scared. As the guide said, we can only get to the Otvazhny volcano. He is closer. As we emerged from the bamboo thickets, we came across a black desert. 
As it turned out, it burned out all the vegetation during the eruption of the Brave. 15 meters of lava underfoot. Here is something. In speed we reached the crater. There was such a terrible wind that knocked me off my feet. But all these difficulties and dangers were worth it to see this wild and unexplored nature.
Cape Stolbchaty on Kunashir
The most spectacular place in Kunashir is Cape Stolbchaty. Here, huge boulders stick out of the water. You need to pass here along a narrow path that winds like a snake. 
Scary to the point of losing consciousness. No insurance. At every turn, the hair just stands on end, but it is no longer possible to turn back, only go forward. Somewhere I walked, but somewhere I honestly crawled and quietly prayed not to fall into the abyss. And you can’t be hysterical and talk scary. I just wanted to cry and still admit that I am a weak girl, and not a commando. 
With my brain, of course, I understood that if I break loose and crash into the sea, then the brave guides will try to save me, but the chances are not enough. You know, this is such a surge of emotions and adrenaline that, having walked along this narrow strip of land, you begin to appreciate every minute of your life. To be honest, I recovered from this shock only after they poured a glass of vodka into me.
The hot, nasty liquid burned his throat and emotions began to switch. Half an hour later, I was already laughing with might and main at my fears. But somewhere in the depths of the soul, this animal horror remains, which creeps into the body and makes the arms and legs go numb. And to all the brave souls who were able to pass this test, I sincerely wish all the best and I can consider them almost brothers in arms. The weapon in this case is strength of mind and determination.
Also, amazingly hospitable and sincere people live here. I have traveled so many places in my life that are on our globe, but rarely did fate bring me together with such incredible and sympathetic people.
Kunashir will remain in my heart forever. 
I realized that I would never see such stunning beauty again in my life. This wild nature untouched by man. I will carry these memories throughout my life, trying not to spill a single drop.
