Iturup Island, Kurils, Japan

Iturup is the largest island of the South Kuril Islands. It is the northernmost island in the southern Kuril/Chishima islands. It is located near the southern end of the Kuril/Chishima chain, between Kunashiri (19 km to the SW) and Urup (37 km to the NE). The town of Kurilsk, administrative center of Kurilsky District, is located roughly midway along its western shore. It is a center for fishing and fish farming, particularly salmon.

Iturup consists of volcanic massifs and mountain ridges. The highest peak is 1634 m. The shores of the island are high and abrupt. The vegetation mostly consists of spruce, larch, pine, fir, and mixed deciduous forests with alder, lianas and Kuril bamboo underbrush. The mountains are covered with birch and Siberian Dwarf Pine scrub, herbaceous flowers or bare rocks.

General information

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Yen (JPY)
Language – Japanese
Population – 8,000 approx
Land Area – 3,139 km2
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT plus hours nine hours
International Country Telephone Code – 81

Port Location – The port at Iturup is located at the principal city of Kurilsk.

Travel Links – Travelers going to the Kuril Islands arrive most quickly via plane from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, but it is also possible to take a slower ferry from Sakhalin to Kunashir and on to Iturup.