Rebun Island

{{Short description|Island in the Sea of Japan}}

{{Infobox islands

| name = Rebun

| image_name = Rebun in Soya Subprefecture.gif

| image_caption =

| map = Japan

| map_caption =

| native_name = 礼文島, Rebun-tō

| native_name_link = Japanese language

| nickname =

| location = East Asia

| coordinates = {{coord|45|22|07|N|141|00|55|E|display=inline,title}}

| archipelago = Japanese Archipelago

| length_km = 29

| width_km = 8

| coastline_km = 72

| area_km2 = 80

| rank =

| highest_mount = Mount Rebun

| elevation_m = 490.0

| country = {{JAP}}

| country_admin_divisions_title = Prefecture

| country_admin_divisions = Hokkaido

| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Subprefecture

| country_admin_divisions_1 = Sōya Subprefecture

| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = District

| country_admin_divisions_2 = Rebun District

| country_admin_divisions_title_3 = Town

| country_admin_divisions_3 = Rebun

| population = 3,194

| population_as_of = 2007-12-31

| density_km2 = 39.3

| ethnic_groups = Ainu, Japanese

}}

File:Rebun Relief Map, SRTM.jpg

{{Nihongo|Rebun Island|礼文島|Rebun-tō|{{langx|ain|Repun}}}} is an island in the Sea of Japan off the northwestern tip of Hokkaidō, Japan. The island sits {{Convert|50|km|mi}} off the coast of Hokkaidō. Rebun stretches {{Convert|29|km|mi}} from north to south and {{Convert|8|km|mi}} from east to west. The island covers approximately {{convert|80|km2|mi2}}. Rebun Island is located {{Convert|10|km|mi}} northwest of Rishiri Island, and the two islands are separated by the Rebun Channel.{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Dijitaru Daijisen | title = 礼文島 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2012-08-27 | year = 2012 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | trans-title = Rebun Island | oclc = 56431036 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Nihon Kokugo Daijiten | title = 礼文島 | trans-title = Rebun Island | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2012-08-27 | year = 2012 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | oclc = 56431036 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) | title = 礼文島 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2012-08-22 | year = 2012 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | trans-title = Rebun Island | oclc = 153301537 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}

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 ({{Convert|490|m|ft}}). 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, {{cite journal |author= Amano M. |year=2012 |title=みちのくの海のイルカたち(特集 みちのくの海と水族館の海棲哺乳類) |url=http://isanakai.web.fc2.com/journal/ |journal= Isana 56|pages=60–65 |publisher= Faculty of Fisheries of University of Nagasaki, Isanakai |format=PDF |accessdate= 2017-03-09 }} and remains of funerals for orcas, possibly referring them as Repun Kamuy (God of Sea/Offshore) have been found as well.Miyanaga T.. 2014. "（北海道）「シャチ送り」の遺構か　礼文島の遺跡で出土". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved on October 04, 2017 Rebun Island is also the site where the last reliable record of the extinct Japanese sea lion came from in 1974.