Shiretoko peninsula (Shari)

 peninsula, nature conservation park / area, invisible, national park

Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島, Shiretoko-hantō) is located on the easternmost portion of the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. It is separated from the Kunashir Island of Russia by the Nemuro Strait. The name Shiretoko is derived from the Ainu language word sir etok, meaning the end of the Earth or the place where the Earth protrudes. The towns of Rausu and Shari cover the peninsula.

On July 14, 2005, in a meeting held in the Republic of South Africa, the Shiretoko Peninsula was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and on July 17 was officially registered as such. The reason is that in the Northern Hemisphere, the peninsula is the southern most point where sea ice usually forms.