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ABASHIRI

While relatively small in size Abashiri attracts thousands of tourists during the summer and especially the winter. There are various sites to see and it is also the gateway to Shiretoko National Park which was World Heritage Listed in 2005.
Main attractions include :
Abashiri Art Museum, Abashiri Municipal Museum, Abashiri Prison Museum, Abashiri Prison, Ice Breaking Ships, Moyoro Shell Mounds, Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum, Peoples of the North Museum, Shiretoko National Park, Sports Training Field, Mt. Tento Tent Land.

Abashiri Art Museum

Displayed in the museum are many works by Kaichi Igushi, a well known artist from the Abashiri area. Many of the exhibits reflect scenery from the surrounding Okhotsk Plains. Other exhibitions are held at irregular intervals. Top

Admission	Adults ¥ 100 Children ¥ 50
Opening Hours	10 am to 4 pm daily
Closed	Mondays and public holidays.
Getting There	Approximately 10 min walk from JR Abashiri Station
Phone	0152-44-5045

Abashiri Municipal Museum

This museum was designed to help educate people about the local Abashiri area and as such has materials relating to the people and the development of the area. Exhibits include items from the Moyoro Shell Mounds, Edo period industrial and fishing equipment and other assorted artifacts. Top

Admission	Adults ¥ 100 Children ¥ 50
Opening Hours	9 am to 4 pm November 1st to April 30th
Closed	Mondays and public holidays
Getting There	Approximately 15 min walk from JR Abashiri Station.
Phone	0152-43-3090

Abashiri Prison Museum

In use from 1890 up until about 1984 and located on Mt Tento, this ex-prison which was moved from it’s previous location and reconstructed here, has been preserved in almost it’s original form. It has been converted into a museum, the only one of it’s kind in Japan. It is possible to see how the prisoners lived and worked in the prison confines. The actual detainee housing areas are also still intact and can be seen. The museum has various displays to show aspects of daily prison life, has wax dummies to give a better picture of the prisoners themselves and also displays some of the shackles and chains that were used. Top

Admission	Adults ¥ 1050 University & H.S. Students ¥ 730 Children ¥ 520
Opening Hours	9 am to 6 pm daily April to October 9 am to 5 pm daily November to March
Closed	-
Getting There	Approximately 10 min from JR Abashiri Station by the Mt.Tento bus.
Phone	0152-45-2411

Abashiri Prison

The current Abashiri Prison is well known throughout Japan as the setting for a hit TV series known as “Abashiri Bangaichi” (Exile in Abashiri). It is possible to take photos in front of the prison and there is also often a small stall with goods produced by the inmates, however since this is a real prison operated by the Kushiro Law Department inside visits and photos are strictly prohibited. Top

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Closed	-
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Ice Breaking Ships

During the cold winter, fresh water from the China-Russia border area freezes when it hits the chilly ocean. This ice then moves south toward Japan eventually reaching Hokkaido. There are various boats to take when wanting to view the ice floes but two of the more well known boats are the “Garinko” in Monbetsu and “Aurora” in Abashiri. The Garinko is fully equipped with an ice crusher on the bow and thus can make trips through the whole ice season the Aurora however sometimes cannot break the ice during the peak season but operates most of the time. There are also sea eagles and seals that follow the ice and they can sometimes be spotted from the boat. Cruises usually last for about an hour. These cruises are very popular and thus it is usually essential to make bookings in advance. Top

Aurora -

Admission	Adults ¥ 3000 Children ¥ 1500
Opening Hours	January 20th to first Sunday of April
Closed	-
Getting There	-
Phone	0152-43-6000 for Reservations & Information
Boat Departs	January 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm February & March 9:30 am, 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm (Special Sunset Cruise - Can be irregular)

Moyoro Shell Mounds

While Hokkaido’s native Ainu culture has been well documented and many museums set up showing their artifacts, little is known about the Moyoro culture. Excavation work along the banks of the Abashiri river in 1913 revealed a distinct culture thought to have inhabited the area some 1000 years ago. Pit-house dwellings and other artifacts, including bones and earthenware, related to this mysterious culture are on display. Top

Admission	Adults ¥ 100 Children ¥ 50
Opening Hours	9 am to 5 pm may to October 9 am to 4 pm November to April
Closed	Mondays and public holidays
Getting There	Approximately 15 min walk from JR Abashiri Station.
Phone	0152-43-2608

Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum

This museum has been built at the top of Mt Tento with a view beautiful 360°view over the Okhotsk Sea and the surrounding area. Extremely popular in winter with visitors wanting to get a view of the drift ice coming down from the north, it is also quite popular in the summer as it houses a drift ice museum where visitors can enjoy the ice year round in the -15°C cooling room. There are large interactive displays which give information about the ice and the animals that life on or around the ice flows. There is also a viewing platform built at the top of the tower area. Top

Admission	Adults ¥ 520 High School Students ¥ 420 Children ¥ 300
Opening Hours	8 am to 6 pm April to October 9 am to 4:30 pm November to March
Closed	-
Getting There	Approximately 10 min by the Mt.Tento bus from JR Abashiri Station
Phone	0152-43-5951

Shiretoko National Park

Taking up most of Shiretoko Peninsula, Shiretoko National Park was World Heritage Listed in July 2005. The area is comprised of pristine, almost untouched, wilderness with steep mountains, small lakes and a wide variety of animals, including bears, foxes and other mammals and many birds including sea eagles. The area is also well known for its beautiful waterfalls, some of which flow directly into the sea of Okhotsk and can be viewed from sightseeing boat which departs from the port of Utoro. One of the famous waterfalls is called “Maiden’s Tears”. This waterfall is produced from warm water and thus steams as it falls. The lake area has a walking track and can be finished in about one (1) to two (2) hours. There is also cave Makkausu which was formed by seawater erosion. Inside the cave is a special type of luminous moss. The winter also often sees the area surrounded by floating ice. Top

Admission	-
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Peoples of the North Museum

This museum was built as a dedication to people living in northern areas from around the world. The architecture of the building is interesting and is built to reflect the tent styles of accommodation that many northern people used. The museum houses a variety of objects and artifacts from various parts of the world. There are also interactive displays which are designed to help guide visitors through the museums exhibits and many of these displays are also in English. Top

Admission	Adults ¥ 250 University Students : ¥ 80 Under 18 Free of Charge
Opening Hours	9:30 am to 4:30 pm daily
Closed	Mondays and national holidays.
Getting There	Approximately 10min by the Mt.Tento bus from JR Abashiri Station.
Phone	0152-45-3888

Sports Training Field

This multi use sports and training area is huge and has a view over Lake Abashiri. With prepared grounds

for various sports and activities including (amongst others) all weather tennis courts, rugby, soccer, baseball and park golf fields. There is also an archery area, kids facilities and play area and a biking course. This sports facility is now regularly used for summer camps of high schools from Honshu island so the area can become quite busy during holiday times. Top

Admission	-
Opening Hours	-
Closed	-
Getting There	-
Phone	0152-48-2392 for details / general enquiries or tennis court bookings.

Mt. Tento Tent Land

As the name suggests, this area is dedicated to those who would like to spend a night or two camping in the surrounds of a Prefectural Park area. The site is set up for car camping with vehicle facilities, lodges, and a central lodge with amenities. It is located on the southern side of Mt Tento and has views of the Okhotsk Sea, Mt. Daikan and the Shiretoko Mountains. Top

Admission	Adults ¥ 1 400 p.p. / p.n. School Children ¥ 750 p.p. / p.n. Lodge A : 6 - 8 people ¥ 18 300 Lodge B : 4 - 5 people ¥ 12 200 Car Camping Site : ¥ 3 950 (Sink & Power Provided) Private Camping Site : ¥ 2 650 (Sink & Power Provided) Non-Reserved Tent Sites : ¥ 750 (Central Facilities Only)
Opening Hours	April 29th to October 31st
Closed	All winter
Getting There	-
Phone	0152-45- 2277

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