Now, let us introduce you to a route that allows you to make exciting new discoveries while staying safe and comfortable using the JR Hokkaido East & North Hokkaido Campaign Pass!
Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
The third city in Hokkaido is Abashiri. Stop by the Abashiri Prison Museum, a Meiji-era building filled with important cultural properties of the country, and a cafe. Enjoy the scenery of Abashiri at a roadside station and drift ice spot that can be seen all year round. After a quick tour of Abashiri, move to Asahikawa.
Abashiri Prison is a museum filled with important cultural properties and modern architecture.
From Abashiri Station, we transfer to the "City Tourist Facilities Tour" bus, which covers all the tourist spots in Abashiri. The first place we head to is the Abashiri Prison Museum. When the prison buildings in Abashiri, built in the Meiji era, were rebuilt, the old buildings were relocated and preserved, and some were restored and exhibited on the vast grounds.
I was surprised not only by its value as a building that incorporates European architectural styles, but also by the fact that it is not owned by the local government but is protected by a foundation established by the citizens of Abashiri at the time.
Every part of Hokkaido has a history of development, and the prisoners at Abashiri Prison at the time were laborers who carried out the seemingly endless development. It was a very interesting facility where you could see the history of Hokkaido's development from the daily life of prisoners to the present day.
Take a local bus that covers all of Abashiri's tourist spots and tours the city's tourist attractions to the Abashiri Prison Museum.
This facility is operated and preserved by a public interest foundation.
It was moved into the mountains and opened as an open-air museum where visitors can see the original buildings in 1983. The old prison was scheduled to be demolished when the prison was renovated, but local residents noticed its historical value and called for its relocation and preservation.
Huge amounts of money were invested, and the shortfall was covered by borrowing, and Abashiri's cultural assets were preserved. The museum was beautifully maintained and became a tourist attraction, making it the most famous prison in Japan.
Once you pass through the main gate, you will see the "Former Abashiri Prison Office Building". First, check out the role of Abashiri Prison and the highlights of the museum. It is a national important cultural property (hereafter referred to as "Important Cultural Property"). It has a dull blue exterior and dormer windows on the roof. It was used as the prison's administrative department and offices. This building was also built by the prisoners.
The Prison History Museum exhibits some of the lifestyles and work of prisoners at the time.
The exhibits include items that were used at the time, including building materials used in the buildings inside the prison, as well as farm equipment and dairy farming tools.
The central lookout tower is hexagonal in shape, allowing a panoramic view of the five radially radiating cell blocks at once.
You can watch like this from the lookout.
Built in 1912, it is a national important cultural property. There were 32 rooms in each building, with a total of 226 cells, including solitary and shared cells. It was modeled after a Belgian prison.
The roof was constructed using trusses, allowing for a long corridor without the use of pillars. It is the oldest prison in Japan and the oldest wooden building in the world built by prisoners as a work facility.
A scene from the escape of the Run Prison Escape King. This inmate is a legendary figure who continued to commit crimes, get caught, and then escape again.
A beautiful brick building...or solitary confinement. It is a punishment cell and a prison for violators. It is a truly lonely cell with no light. There is no heating, so it was a very hard place to be in the freezing cold of Abashiri.
This building with a magnificent roof is the "Kyokaido," a hall for religious instruction.
Unlike the exterior, the interior is Western-style and even features chandeliers. The lectures and guidance given here were apparently a source of emotional support for the prisoners.
...And finally, I met a Hokkaido squirrel! There seem to be many Hokkaido squirrels in the museum garden. In addition to this, there are many other buildings, eight important cultural properties, six registered tangible cultural properties, document exhibits, a library, and more. It is a well-equipped facility with plenty to see.
A stop off near Abashiri Prison, this log cabin-style cafe has a Hokkaido feel to it.
Leaving the Abashiri Prison Museum behind, we head down a road surrounded by forest on both sides. Occasionally, we hear a rustling sound and turn around to see Hokkaido squirrels running around. We continue walking through this lush natural environment.
After walking for a while, we came across a log house standing in a grove of white birch trees. This was the café I wanted to visit this time, Grass Roots.
You take off your shoes and put on slippers before entering. In warm seasons there is terrace seating, and in cold winters there is a fire in the fireplace. The cafe is located inside Abashiri National Park, so you can enjoy the seasonal nature from the window.
You can enjoy homemade dishes made with local ingredients, from meals such as pasta and omelet rice to cakes.
After the tour, we walked to a nearby cafe. On the way, we could hear the sounds of Hokkaido squirrels running around in the forest on both sides of us.
A log cabin can be seen from the shade of a grove of white birch trees. We visit the Grass Roots Cafe.
The terrace seats look pleasant in the warm seasons.
There is a fireplace in the room. By the time I write this article, the fire will probably be fully lit. There are sofas and benches, making it a comfortable space. Sometimes concerts are held here.
A couple who ran a cafe in front of Abashiri Station moved to this area and opened a warm, wooden home and cafe in 2011.
The secret to their popularity, both before and after the relocation, is their homemade dishes. The cheesecake I ordered this time contained blueberries, which was a special gift from a neighbor. It's the perfect cafe to spend some relaxing time at. You can see the trees from the window, which makes you feel at peace.
The best time to see the drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk, a classic winter travel spot, is from mid-February.
When you think of winter travel to Abashiri, you think of "drift ice." Although it varies from year to year, it usually arrives around late January and is at its best from mid-February.
The drift ice of the Okhotsk Sea is also very popular with tourists from all over the world, and when I visited in mid-October, reservations for drift ice tours were already starting to come in.
First, we went to the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum, where you can see drift ice all year round. Here, you can see videos introducing drift ice, and learn about the structure and origins of drift ice. You can also see real drift ice.
Afterwards, we headed to the "Roadside Station Drift Ice Highway Abashiri." This is a roadside station facing the Sea of Okhotsk, and is also a boarding point for boats to view the drift ice.
Now it's getting close to evening, and I'm heading to Asahikawa, where I plan to stay for the night. It's 237km from Abashiri to Asahikawa! Another leisurely train journey. It's been six years since I've been to Asahikawa.
The weather started to get a little bad, so we headed to our next destination, a facility specializing in drift ice that comes into the Sea of Okhotsk.
The Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum was recently renovated and reopened in 2015, and is an experiential facility where you can learn in a fun way using all five senses.
I was sucked into the blue light and went underground.
Ah, this is a sea angel, the drift ice fairy! It moves energetically, so it's quite difficult to photograph it...!
A soothing, plump orange-colored balloon fish. It lives in the sea of drift ice.
This is a room filled with real drift ice. I feel like I'm going to freeze. I didn't see any red foxes on this trip, but I'll count myself as one here.
We were given wet towels to shake around in, but they really did freeze... I've experienced minus 15 degrees once before in Asahikawa, and it was so cold I couldn't stay there for more than five minutes.
There is an observation deck at the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum, from which you can get a panoramic view of the Sea of Okhotsk, but the rain got so bad that I skipped it. On the subject of drift ice, I went to a roadside station in Abashiri.
Roadside Station Drift Ice Highway Abashiri faces the sea, and during the drift ice season, tour boats board from here.
During the drift ice season, all the souvenirs and other items on display here will be cleared away, and the boarding area will become a very crowded place with many people.
Ryuhyo candy is a candy that evokes the image of beautiful pale ice. It is a representative candy of Abashiri that has been around since 1955. The retro packaging is cute and makes a great souvenir.
The rain finally stopped and a rainbow appeared over the Sea of Okhotsk! I was sure that the rest of the journey would be a lot of fun.
Read the second part here
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
