オススメ度
外国語対応
About Abashiri
Abashiri is a small town with a population of about 40,000 located on the Sea of Okhotsk coast in northern Hokkaido.
Main industries are agriculture, fisheries and tourism.
The area, which is rich in nature, sees flocks of tourists each year from mid-January to the end of March excited to see the especially famous winter drift ice via boat.
Also, the Abashiri area is located on the Sea of Okhotsk, one of the world’s top three fishing spots, making it possible to enjoy delicious seafood at a reasonable price.
Incidentally, Japanese who are middle-aged or older view Abashiri as an “end of the earth” or a scary place.
This is because Abashiri Prison used to house many vicious criminals, and many yakuza movies were made here in the 1960s, which became big hits.
Abashiri is close to lakes Akan, Mashu, and Kussharo; visit these places together to save time.
Recommendations
Enjoy wonderful nature, the scenery, and food.
The highlight of nature’s beauty is the drift ice in winter.
As for food, seafood is excellent.
Facing the Sea of Okhotsk, Abashiri is one of the world’s top three fishing spots, therefore delicious seafood can be enjoyed at reasonable prices.
Access/Data
Abashiri is more than 300 km away from Sapporo, so it’s not practical to visit both cities at the same time.
If you want to travel from Sapporo, flying is your best option, though a little expensive it’s faster and easier.
Flying will set you back roughly ¥12,000 – ¥20,000 and takes 45 min.
Train: 5 hours 30 min. (≈ ¥10,500)
Car: 4 hours 30 min.
Express Bus: 6 hours (≈ ¥6,500), possibly a daunting journey.
Airplane
Domestic flights to and from Tokyo (Haneda), Nagoya (Chubu), and Sapporo (New Chitose) are available.
5 – 6 flights depart each day from Tokyo (Haneda) and Sapporo (Chitose), only 1 flight per day from Nagoya (Chubu).
There is another airport in the area, Monbetsu Airport, but it is about 100 km northwest of Abashiri City and has only one flight a day from Tokyo (Haneda), so it’s not so practical.
Memanbetsu Airport
Domestic flights to and from Tokyo (Haneda), Nagoya (Chubu), and Sapporo (New Chitose) are available. 5 – 6 flights depart each day from Tokyo (Haneda) and Sapporo (Chitose), only 1 flight per day from Nagoya (Chubu). There is another airport in the area, Monbetsu Airport, but it is about 100 km northwest of Abashiri City […]
[ See details ]
| Address | 201-3, Memanbetsu Chuo, Oozora-cho, Abashiri-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | |
| Tel | 0152-74-3115 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Access from Memanbetsu Airport
Bus
All buses for Abashiri City and Kitami City depart in coordination with arriving flights.
It takes about 35 min. and 40 min. to Abashiri bus terminal and Kitami bus terminal, respectively.
Railway
Abashiri Station
JR: Sekihoku Main Line , Senmo Main Line
Bus
There are highway buses departing from Sapporo and New Chitose Airport.
Reserve tickets in your language from Japan Bus Online.
Abashiri Area
If you’re going to travel around Abashiri it’s better to rent a car than to use public transport, which is infrequent. On a side note, there is a ticket called “Abashiri Free Pass” which allows you to ride buses as much as you like in the Abashiri area, and you can get a discount at many tourist facilities.
| 2 Day Ticket | ¥2,000 |
| 3 Day Ticket | ¥3,000 |
It’s a good deal if you use Memanbetsu Airport and stay in the area for 2 day or more.
The tickets are available at tourist information centers (Memanbetsu Airport, Abashiri Station, Roadside station Ryuhyo-kaido Abashiri, Toyoko Inn Abashiri Station, and Abashiri Bus Terminal).
Sightseeing
Drift Ice Sightseeing (Ryuhyo Kannko)
The highlight of the Abashiri area is the drift ice — January to late March. The sight of white blocks of ice covering the surface of the vast sea, changing shape every second from the tidal stream and wind, is breathtakingly magnificent.
Ice floes are a natural phenomenon that can only be seen in a very limited place in the world.
Originally formed at the mouth of the Amur River in the Russian Far East, the drift ice slowly grows larger as they are carried southward by wind and ocean currents, finally washing up along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
To see the drift ice it’s best to use a sightseeing boat. These boats depart and arrive from 2 locations: Abashiri and Monbetsu.
Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing & Icebreaker Ship – Aurora
Get up close and personal with this sightseeing cruise from Abashiri Port. The cruise lasts for about 1 hour and runs from the end of January to the beginning of April. All 491 tons of the ship break the ice blocks apart as it marvelously moves forward, and because of its large size there is […]
[ See details ]
| Address | 4-5-1, Sanjo Higashi 4-chome, Abashiri City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | - 8 min. walk from Katsuradai[…] |
| Tel | 0152-43-6000 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Ice Breaker Garingo
Get up close and personal with the drift ice on this sightseeing boat from/to Monbetsu Port. The 1 hour cruise runs from mid-January to the end of March. Originally built for oil field development in Alaska, the Garingo II is a beautiful red-bodied icebreaker. The two special screws at the bow of the ship break […]
[ See details ]
| Address | 1 Kaiyokoen, Monbetsu-shi, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | by Bus: From Engaru Station o[…] |
| Tel | 0158-24-8000 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Scenic Spots
Lake Notoro
Lake Notoro – a massive saltwater lake spanning 580,000m2 connected to the Sea of Okhotsk – is home to primeval flowers along the lakeside, famous especially for the infinite sea of red from the Salicornia europaea (also known as Sangocho) in autumn. Mid- to late-September is the best time to visit, when the deep red […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Ubaranai, Abashiri City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | From JR Abashiri Station take[…] |
| Tel | 0152-47-2301 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Museums
Abashiri Prison Museum
The open-air history museum opened in 1983. Used as a prison for felons since 1880, the historical buildings of the Abashiri Prison were sequentially moved to the current location or newly reconstructed. Visitors can learn about prison life and the harsh labor of prisoners at that time, as well as the history of Hokkaido’s pioneering […]
[ See details ]
| Address | 1-1 Yobito, Abashiri City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | by Bus: From Abashiri Station[…] |
| Tel | 0152-45-2411 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Food
Facing the Sea of Okhotsk — one of the world’s top 3 fishing spots — Abashiri offers delicious seafood at reasonable prices. Crab, Japanese scallop, and atka mackerel are among the food wonders from these waters.
Below are the most popular restaurants in the town.
Seafood
Sakanatei Kihachi
[ See details ]
| Address | West 3, Yonjo 4, Abashiri City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | - 11 minutes on foot from Aba[…] |
| Tel | 0152-43-8108 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Yakiniku (BBQ style meat)
If you are a meat lover, you should go to Kitami City. It is located about 40km southwest of Abashiri City, but it is worth the trip because you can get delicious meat at reasonable prices.
There are about 70 yakiniku restaurants in the city, which ranks first in Hokkaido (and second in Japan!) in terms of population.
The meat, especially the offal, is fresh and delectable.
First, order the Kitami residents’ favorite gyu-no-sagari (beef diaphragm) and buta-no-horumon (pork intestine).
In Kitami, unseasoned meat is usually dipped in a sauce made from salt and pepper, fruit and onions, and eaten over a charcoal brazier.
The following are the most popular restaurants.
Yojo Hormone
[ See details ]
| Address | Tekko-Sen Kaikan 2F, 1-14 Kitayon Jonishi, Kitami City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | 5 minute walk from Kitami Sta[…] |
| Tel | 0157-23-1927 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
