steam ferry in 1892. By 1899 the town had a post and telegraph office, as well as a police station, a brothel, a shipping office, and a restaurant. The era of the herring industry ended due to overfishing by 1917, and the population on the Shakotan Peninsula decreased rapidly. The modern town of Shakotan was formed in 1956 by a merger of the town of Bikuni and the villages of Irika and Yobetsu. Geography The town of Shakotan is located on the north of the Shakotan Peninsula in western Hokkaido, and occupies one fourth of the area of the peninsula. The border of the town is defined by the three great capes of the Shakotan Peninsula: Kamui, Shakotan, and Ōgon. The town faces the Japan Sea and has a long, scenic sea coast. Much of the coast of Shakotan is faced by steep sea cliffs. The population of the town is concentrated in small villages along the coast. The interior of the town is rugged with little flat land, and is made up of the mountainous areas centered on the twin peaks of Mount Shakotan () and Mount Yobetsu (). The entire coast of Shakotan is protected as part of Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park. The park, established in 1962, covers , and is managed by the prefectural government of Hokkaido. Shakotan's capes and dramatic Shimamui Coast are important parts of the park. The marine park of Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park, located off the shore of Shakotan and Otaru, is the only designated marine sanctuary in the national parks system of Japan. Fishing is prohibited along the length of the marine sanctuary. Capes The three major capes of the Shakotan Peninsula, Cape Kamui, Cape Shakotan, and Cape Ōgon, define the coast of the Shakotan Peninsula. All are located in the town of Shakotan, and numerous smaller capes dot the coastline of the town. Cape Ōgon is located at the east of Shakotan. Bikuni area and its fishing port sit near the cape. Cape Ōgon is topped by a popular observation post which offers a panorama of the coastal areas of the Sea of Japan and the Shakotan Peninsula. The summit of Cape Ōgon can be reached by foot in only 10 minutes, making it a popular tourist destination in the summer. Cape Shakotan is located at the north of Shakotan. Irika area and its fishing port sit near the cape. Cape