One of the biggest challenges for foreigners to travel in Eastern Hokkaido is TRANSPORTATION. Like any other rural area in the world, it might be difficult to get around without a car. That is why I made this 3-day itinerary for a winter trip in Abashiri only using public transportation for those who prefer not to drive on their trip!
If you are traveling in summer…
IN THIS ARTICLE...
- Day 1: Arriving in Abashiri
- Memambetsu Airport - Get Abashiri Free Pass!
- Hotel Reccomendation - Hokuten no Oka
- Day 2: Museum Hopping
- 1. Abashiri Prison Museum
- 2. Drift Ice Museum
- 3. Museum of Northern Peoples
- Day 3: Icebreaker Ship in Okhotsk Sea
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Day 1: Arriving in Abashiri
Memambetsu Airport - Get Abashiri Free Pass!
Once arriving at Memambetsu Airport, get Abashiri Free Pass at the information center. It will be your friend during this trip. The ticket allows you to take all the public buses in the Abashiri area at the information center for 2 days (2,000 yen) or 3 days (3,000 yen). Now you are ready to hop on a bus to Abashiri (40 min to the city center). The bus departs after every flight arrival, so you don’t have to worry about the bus schedule.
Hotel reccomendation - Hokuten no Oka
(Photo source: Houkten no Oka)
Hokuten no Oka is my favorite hotel in the area. I like the wooden cozy interior, and moreover, their buffet and hot spring are amazing. No wonder this hotel was listed in the Michelin Guide for Hokkaido! The buffet offers various kinds of dishes using fresh local ingredients with a French twist. The open-air hot spring is so refreshing. What I love the most here is the stone sauna where you lie down on a warm stone plate on the floor. It makes you really sweat and is perfect for detox.
To get to the hotel, you get off at a bus stop “Yobito Eki Mae” (20 min from the airport). I recommend you make a prior request to the hotel for pick-up, if you have lots of luggage.
Day 2: Museum Hopping
It’s time to go active! There are many places you can go with the Abashiri Free Pass, but my suggestion for winter when the temperature is always below freezing is to visit some interesting museums and learn about the history, culture, and nature scenes of the region. These three museums are located close to each other, so it’s easy to get around using the free pass. Make sure to check the latest bus schedule (select “English” in the language tab). The bus ticket offers discounts at these museums, so don’t forget to check with the reception!
Abashiri Prison Museum
(Photo source: Abashiri Prison Museum)
Many people might have heard of Abashiri Prison, as it was featured in the popular manga series “Golden Kamuy”. This open-air museum preserves the building compound actually used as a prison from the 1890s to the 1980s. It shows how prisoners in Meji Era contributed to the development of Hokkaido as a labor force and what their life looked like in jail. The exhibitions are interesting and well explained in English. You can also try prison meals at a restaurant, which used to be a prisoner canteen.
2. Drift Ice Museum
(Photo source: Drift Ice Museum)
This museum offers you modern-style exhibits to learn about drift ice, which is a natural phenomenon in Eastern Hokkaido, and marine creatures living in the Okhotsk Sea. The highlight here would be a drift ice room where you can actually touch real drift ice and experience the world of -15°C! There is a nice rooftop observatory with a scenic view of the Abashiri city, lakes and the sea, as well as a cafe restaurant and a souvenir shop.
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3. Museum of Northern Peoples
This is a rather small but well-organized museum on the indigenous peoples of Hokkaido and other northern regions in the world. Free audio guide is available in English. The admission Fee is 550 yen/adult, 200 yen/university or high school student, and free for the younger.
Day 3: Icebreaker Ship in Okhotsk Sea
The Aurora
The icebreaker ship “the Aurora” is a major tourist attraction in Abashiri during winter. The seashore in Abashiri will be covered by ice drifted from the Amur River in Russia through the Okhotsk Sea. The Aurora sails the white ocean breaking the ice, which offers a unique experience for passengers.
There are 4-5 departures per day from late January to March (please check the latest schedule on the official website), and each tour takes around one hour.
To get to the port for the Aurora, you can take a public bus “Memambetsu Airport Line,” which stops by major locations in the city including Abashiri Station. There are a restaurant and a souvenir shop next to the port where you can spend time until the bus to the airport.
Time to fly back…
The airport bus departs from the port approximately 1.5 hours before the scheduled time of each flight. It is better to check the timetable at the port to be sure (*The bus stops at the port only when the icebreaker ship operates).
Hope you enjoy reading this 3-day itinerary and consider a trip to Abashiri sometime soon!
This 3-day itinerary takes you to must-visit summer attractions in Abashiri in Hokkaido, Japan, using only public transportation!