Wakkanai is a city located in the Sōya Subprefecture of Hokkaido, Japan. It serves as the capital of the Sōya Subprefecture and is situated approximately 1,100 km north of Tokyo and 270 km north of Sapporo.
The city holds geographical significance as the northernmost municipality under Japanese administration following the loss of Karafuto and the Kuril Islands. The nearby island of Benten-jima represents the northernmost point currently under Japanese control.