Rishiri-Rebun from Tokyo, 2 days

About Rishiri Rebun islands I was thinking of visiting sometime and stay one or two nights.

What would be the best way and cheapest to get there from Tokyo, considering I wont be visiting other parts of Hokkaido.

I know there is night train to Sapporo, then a train or flight to Wakkanai and ferry, or air from Sapporo to Rishiri/Rebun. I think there was a flight to Wakkanai from Tokyo as well. I might consider using a JR Pass as I might go long trips beside Tokyo and Hokkaido.

As mentioned in another post I have seen much of Hokkaido except east and north.

I am a Japanese living in southern Kyushu and I love Rebun. Though I have been to Rebun only once when I was young (30 odd years ago), but that is the best place I have visited within Japan.

I know there is night train to Sapporo, then a train or flight to Wakkanai

Night train to Sapporo from Tokyo takes long time and is more expensive as compared to airfare.

air from Sapporo to Rishiri/Rebun.

At this time, there is no flights to Rebun. Rebun airport is now closed. There is one flight per day from Sapporo's Okadama airport to Rishiri, operated by Japan airline.

I think there was a flight to Wakkanai from Tokyo as well.

Yes. All Nippon Airways (ANA) operates one flight from Haneda to Wakkanai. There are two flights from Chitose to Wakkanai by ANA.

I might consider using a JR Pass as I might go long trips beside Tokyo and Hokkaido.

It takes about 14.5 hours from Tokyo to Wakkanai. If you like train travel, it might not be so bad. But for many, if not most, people, flights should be much easier.

If you get Staralliance Japan Airpass,

http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/wws_common/fare/special/airpass.html

you can fly at 10800 yen per one leg. If your flight to Japan is not by Staralliance airlines, you can use ANA Visit Japan fare,

http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/wws_common/fare/special/visit.html

which is somewhat more expensive.

You should note that the trip to Rebun largely depends on the weather. In general, good season is June to August, but even in these months, weather changes day by day. I recommend you to take a flexible schedule: Stay at Sapporo and when the weather is getting good (you can predict 2-3 days before), change your flight schedule to adjust for the fine days in Rebun. If it rains in Sapporo, you can enjoy something in the town, but in Rebun, you will have nothing to do in the rain. The air passes allow changes of flight days except for the first flight. Get Staralliance Japan Airpass (3 coupons) and 1. fly to Sapporo and wait for the good weather. 2. Fly to Wakkanai and take ferry to Rebun. 3. Ferry back to Wakkanai and then fly back to Tokyo.

The flights from Okadama to Rishiri are not operated by JAL but by Hokkaido Air System. JAL also sells tickets for those flights but it's only a codeshare, this means in particular that those flights are not eligible to JAL discounts.

THank you very much for the ideas and thoughts on this question.

It's not possible to fly from Tokyo watching the weather before hand?

Not sure, but I think they want 2 days advance booking for the "Air Pass" (ANA/JAL) to Wakkanai.

It's not like I dislike Sapporo, but somehow felt better going from Tokyo instead, I have more things around Tokyo not seen yet, that's why.

It's not possible to fly from Tokyo watching the weather before hand?

http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/wws_common/fare/special/airpass.html

Date Change, Routing Change, and Endorsement
* Rebooking is not permitted for the first domestic sector. However, change to an earlier flight is permitted at the airport on the day of departure on a stand-by basis.

So, if Tokyo to Wakkanai is your first leg of the pass, you must book the date and it can not be changed. Therefore I recommended you to use your first leg to be Tokyo to Sapporo. Your second leg can be left open so you can choose the date if there is a vacancy.

Please see the weather in Rebun, June 2014.

http://goo.gl/PlzoDQ

See 日照時間(h) column which means the daylight hours. As you can see, some days have almost no daylights. If we consider it is fine if it exceeds 5 hours, there are 12 fine days. That is why I recommend you to wait until the weather becomes fine.

Alright. Well then I understand why it's better to do so. Since I will probably not be able to be in Japan for more than 1 or 2 weeks I best dedicate a journey to Hokkaido. Seems like the best option.

Thank you very much for your help :)