sightseeing

Are there any tourist associations or tourist information centers?

The Tourist Information Center is located inside the roadside station “Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri”, and there are two tourist information centers: inside the roadside station “Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri” and at JR Abashiri Station. Please feel free to drop by if you have any problems.

What to see in Abashiri sightseeing?

There are seven museums such as the Abashiri Prison Museum, the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum of Northern Peoples.

Are there any hidden spots?

Kitahama station, where you can see the drift ice closest, is recommended.

when is the best season

Winter (late January to early March) is recommended when you can see drift ice. Enjoy the freezing cold.

When will it snow?

If it is early, it will snow from around mid-November and it will snow.

Is there a place where I can bathe in a hot spring?

There are several lodging facilities around Lake Abashiri. The facilities where you can enter the hot spring are posted on the accommodation page. Click here for details

Gourmet

Do you have any recommended gourmet foods?

Izakaya Odden's "Karaage" is exquisite. We also recommend Abashiri's soul food "Choten", which is also the birthplace of frozen surimi.

When is hair crab season?

It is said that hair crab after the drift ice in April and May is the most delicious. The fishing season is from April to August.

I want to eat crab, do you have any recommendations?

If you are a sushi restaurant or an izakaya, you can eat it if you make a reservation in advance. They are also sold at crab shops and fisheries direct sales stores.

Where can I have lunch?

Please check here for business hours.

experience

When is the smelt fishing season?

The start schedule varies depending on the ice conditions of Lake Abashiri. The detailed schedule will be officially decided two to three weeks before the opening. In an average year, the period is from around January 5th to the end of March.

Is advance reservation necessary for smelt fishing?

Basically no reservation is required. Reservations are required for groups of more than 10 people.

How much does smelt fishing cost? Do you rent tents at the venue?

Empty-handed smelt fishing set: 1,800 yen for junior high school students and above / 1,400 yen for elementary school students (Set contents: recreational fishing fee, rental rod, tackle, bait, drilling fee, rental chair) Recreational fishing fee: 800 yen for junior high school students and above / 400 yen for elementary school students / free for elementary school students Others, Individual rental items are also available.
*The information posted is as of December 21, 2022. Please check the experience page for details.

Can I take home the smelt I caught?

You will basically take it home. In addition, we have installed a pay electromagnetic cooker at the venue, so you can eat on the spot.

Do I need to make a reservation for the drift ice icebreaker Aurora?

It is basically a reservation system. For reservations, call Doto Kanko Development Co., Ltd. (0152-43-6000).

Where should I go to board the drift ice icebreaker Aurora?

The roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri" (Minato Tourism Exchange Center) is the Aurora Terminal.

Is there a parking lot at Aurora Terminal?

Please use the parking lot (free) of the roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri".

I am planning to board the drift ice icebreaker Aurora. Do you have a recommended date and time?

The best time to see them changes depending on the climate of the year. Please take the bus at a time that is convenient for your travel plans.

Where can I rent a bicycle?

It can be rented at the tourist information center at the roadside station from May to October. Click here for prices and car types.

I would like to go fruit picking, what kind of fruits are there?

Depending on the season, there are strawberries, plums, cherries, apples, pears, prunes, berries, and grapes. Learn more here.

Are there any places where you can swim?

Unfortunately, there are no places where you can swim in the sea in Abashiri City. The closest beach is Tokoro Jonan Beach in Tokoro-cho, Kitami City.

I want to kayak or SUP on Lake Abashiri, do I need a permit?

No permission is required, but do so at your own risk.

view

Are there any photogenic spots?

There are many photogenic scenic points such as Cape Notoro, Kando-no-Michi Path, Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum Observatory.

When is the best time to see the Primeval Flower Garden?

The landscape of Ezosukashi lily and Ezokisuge that are often in bloom is from mid-June to early July, but various flowers begin to bloom from around the end of May.

When is the best time to see the Ubaranai Glasswort colony?

The best time to see them is from early September to early October. It looks reddest around mid-September.

When is the best time to see the skunk cabbage colony?

The best time to see them is from mid to late April.

When is the best time to see sunflowers at Omagari Lakeside Park?

Double cropping of the Omagari Kohanenchi is taking place. From mid-July to late July, the first blooming season is reached. The second time will be in full bloom from mid-September to late September.

Can I see salmon running up the Abashiri River?

Around mid-September, you can see them swimming and jumping with their dorsal fins out of the water.

When is the best time to see the drift ice?

Usually from the end of January to the beginning of March, but I can't say for sure because it's a matter of nature. Please refer to the Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing Icebreaker Aurora official website. In addition, drift ice is constantly moving on the sea depending on the direction of the wind and the movement of the waves, so even if it touches the shore, it may disappear overnight.

When do swans fly? Also, how many do you have?

They usually start flying in early October and stay until late April. Up to 3000 birds or more.

I want to go to Cape Notoro.

There is no public transportation to Cape Notoro. Please come by rental car or taxi. It takes 20 minutes by car. Taxi fare is about 4,700 yen one way. Also, I think it's good to come by cycling during the summer.

Lodging

Are there places where you can stay with pets?

Hokuten no Oka Abashiri Tsuruga Resort (TEL: 0152-48-3211) and Notoro no So Kagariya (TEL: 0152-47-2301) offer plans that allow you to stay with your dog. Please check in advance.

When can I start using Yobitoura Campsite?

It is available from late April to early October.

Is there a check-in time at Yobitoura Campsite?

No reception is required as it is unmanned. Please come at a time that will not disturb other customers.

I'd like to buy gas for a cassette stove that can be used at camp.

Around the station, you can buy it at convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and Seicomart, as well as at the BASIC Hashikita store.

Access

How long does it take to get to Abashiri?

Please see the access guide on this site.

How to get to Memanbetsu Airport? Also, how much will it cost?

A route bus runs between Abashiri and Memanbetsu Airport. Please refer to the official website of Abashiri City Bus Co., Ltd. for the fare.

Where can I pay the bus fare?

There is no advance payment, and payment is made when you get off the bus.

Are there discount tickets such as 1-day tickets for buses in Abashiri?

1day pass is a good deal. Doko bus and sightseeing facility tour bus (route bus) are unlimited rides for one day. Sales locations are Abashiri Bus Terminal, Abashiri Tourist Association, Abashiri Station Tourist Information Center, Toyoko Inn Abashiri Ekimae, and Hotel Route-Inn Abashiri Ekimae.

Is there a regular sightseeing bus that goes around sightseeing spots in Abashiri City?

There is no regular sightseeing bus throughout the year. The "Abashiri Maruwaki Bus" runs only during the winter season. In addition, there is a route bus "Tourist Facility Tour Bus" that goes to tourist facilities on Tentozan, and an on-demand bus "Doko Bus" is in operation.

Are taxis stationed at stations and tourist facilities?

There is a taxi rank at the station. Depending on the season, there are times when tourist facilities are not resident, but you can call them at the facility reception.

Do you have coin parking?

There is no coin parking, but there is a pay parking lot in the city area.

Can I go from Abashiri to Shiretoko and return to Abashiri on a day trip?

It takes an hour and a half to get to Shiretoko by car, so it is possible to get there by car or rental car. However, when using public transportation, the number of services is limited, so it is better to check the timetable in advance.

I want to go from Abashiri to Kushiro.

There is no direct bus, so you will have to go by JR or rental car. It takes about 3 hours by rental car.

When will the roads freeze?

It depends on the temperature of the year, but the road surface starts to freeze around December.

It's my first time driving on a snowy road, are there any points?

If you rent a car in Hokkaido, the tires are safe because they are made to northern country specifications. However, please be careful about the distance between vehicles, sudden starts/sudden braking, and excessive speed.

Others

Are there any places in Abashiri City where I can use free Wi-Fi?

Available at several facilities in the city

Please tell me where the coin lockers are located.

Available at Abashiri Station, Bus Terminal, Roadside Station “Drift Ice Highway Abashiri”, Abashiri Prison Museum, and Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum.

Do you have a coin laundry?

There are coin laundry Popo Wash Kita 6-jo store, coin laundry Chaplin Komaba store, etc.

Are there barrier-free restrooms and facilities?

It is installed in the roadside station "Drift Ice Highway Abashiri", Abashiri Prison, Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum of Northern Peoples.

Do you have a nursing room?

Available at Abashiri Kosei Hospital, Echo Center, and Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum.

Can I rent a wheelchair at a tourist facility?

Available at Abashiri Prison, Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum of Northern Peoples. There is also a roadside station Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri.

What kind of teams will come to the town of sports training camps? Is it possible to visit again?

Find out about the team here. There are many track and field training camps, and runners can be seen running all over the city during the season.

I want real drift ice and clione.

Neither are sold as commodities. At the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum on Tentozan, you can see both almost all year round.

I suddenly felt unwell.

Please see here for emergency medical treatment such as at night and on holidays.