Utoro is the main tourist base on the west coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula, with a cluster of hotels, restaurants, and the main ferry terminal for boat tours. The town sits on a small bay beneath dramatic coastal cliffs and is the practical starting point for most Shiretoko itineraries — the roads to Shiretoko Goko Lakes and Kamuiwakka Falls both start here.
The Shiretoko World Heritage Centre (Shiretoko Nature Centre) near Utoro has good films and displays covering the peninsula's ecology, wildlife, and the UNESCO designation. It is worth visiting on arrival to understand what you're about to see. The harbour is active with fishing boats and the larger sightseeing vessels; the morning fish market in the harbour area is modest but genuine. Utoro's onsen hotels offer indoor and outdoor hot spring baths, some with sea views across the bay to the coastal cliffs.