Otaru - Rishiri ferry?

Hi,
I read unverified information on a possible ferry from Otaru to Rishiri (or Rebun) island.

I have tried to obtain information on this on the internet but cannot find any source to verify this information, so I am asking if someone could confirm what is true about this. Thank you

I also completed a short search and could not find anything. My guess is that a fluent Japanese speaker (specifically writer) will need to complete this.

Using my general knowledge, I doubt that there would be a mainly tourist boat to Otaru to Rishiri due to the time it would take. If there was, it would mainly be a cargo boat that may offer passenger transfers. It would be around 300-400 KM by boat to a location which does not get many passengers apart from June/July. There are many ferries from Wakkanai. It would be faster to catch the train/bus to Wakkanai and then catch the ferry from Wakkanai.

As far as I searched, the Otaru-Rishiri (and Rebun probably) discontinued on 1993.

http://www.town.rishirifuji.hokkaido.jp/rishirifuji/secure/1362/otarur...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/北海商船

The ferry from Otaru to Rebun and Rishiri Islands did end in 1993 as stated. There are several online travel guides on Japan that still list it as active, but it the ferry was already over when those sites were published.

You can fly into Rishiri-to from Sapporo (New Chitose and Okadama), but the Rebun Island Airport closed in 2009 and I'm not sure if they are ever going to expand and reopen it.

Haneda runs a few flights a day to Wakkanai, where you can pick up a ferry to either island. Then you can always take a train from Sapporo to Wakkanai to catch a ferry.

I would rather go by air if possible, as I dont fancy sitting on a train for 5 hours. I remember the route from Sapporo to Hakodate was very long, almost 4 hours. If the trains went more often I would get off along the way but I guess that would be even more time consuming.