Iturup is an island of the southern group of the Great Ridge of the Kuril Islands, the largest island of the archipelago, part of Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. The island is disputed by Japan, which considers it as part of Nemuro Subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture.

According to the most common version, the name of this island goes back to the word “etorop”, which is translated from the Ainu language as “jellyfish”. In 2023, the population of the island was about 6,900 people. Iturup Island on Google Maps. Photos by: Andrey Grachev.

amazing nature of Iturup

Tags: Sakhalin oblast

The Aniva Lighthouse is an amazingly picturesque abandoned lighthouse located on Cape Aniva in the very south of Sakhalin Island in the Far East of Russia. The height of the building is 31 meters, the height of light – 40 meters above sea level.

This mysterious place is an important tourist attraction of Sakhalin. Tourists usually come here on private boats. The lighthouse is gradually destroyed by water and wind. In the coming years, it is quite possible that repairs will be carried out to preserve this unique building. The Aniva Lighthouse on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

beautiful remote place

Tags: Abandoned · Sakhalin oblast

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is a city with a population of about 200 thousand people located in the southeastern part of Sakhalin Island in the Far East of Russia, the capital of Sakhalin Oblast.

It is the sixth largest city in the Russian Far East, in which Russian and Japanese cultures are closely intertwined. Here you can often see old Japanese buildings and monuments. The distance from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Moscow, if flying by plane, is 6,640 km and 9,280 km (by car). Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Tags: Sakhalin oblast · Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city

Iturup is an island of the southern group of the Kuril Islands, the largest island of the archipelago and part of the Sakhalin region.

The nature of this island is amazingly picturesque. On the coast you can see beautiful contrast of white pumice cliffs and black hexagonal pillars of volcanic magma. Iturup on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Dolya.

natural beauty of Iturup

Tags: Sakhalin oblast

Cape Stolbchaty is located in the east of Kunashir Island in the Sakhalin region. It consists of layers of basaltic lava of Mendeleev volcano with a well defined columnar jointing in the form of 5- and 6-sided columns.

As a result of erosion, volcanic rocks are gradually destroyed forming spectacular, 40-50 meter high cliffs. Thanks to its unique and picturesque landscape, this cape is a popular tourist site. Cape Stolbchaty on Google Maps. Photos by: lusika33.

amazing place

Tags: Sakhalin oblast

Shikotan, meaning “the best place”, is the largest island of the Lesser Kuril Islands, part of the Sakhalin region. Japan disputes Russia’s ownership of Shikotan; it sees it as part of Nemuro province, Hokkaido prefecture.

Until 1855, the island was part of the Russian Empire. February 7, 1855, according to the Russian-Japanese treaty of trade and boundaries (“Shimoda Treaty”), the island was given to Japan with the rest of the southern Kurils. In 1945, after Japan’s defeat in World War II, the islands were captured by the Soviet Union.

the island of tanks

Tags: Abandoned · Sakhalin oblast