Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival

February 8, 2025 - February 9, 2025

Abashiri's winter festival is held every February. There are many spectacular snow sculptures, beautiful ice sculptures, and events!

The 60th Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival will be held at the Abashiri Commercial Port Wharf. Focusing on the drift ice, the strength of which is decreasing year by year due to the effects of global warming, the festival will be held under the theme of "SAVE THE ICE SAVE THE EARTH" (protecting drift ice is protecting the earth), as it was last year.
We are planning an event to spread the word about the current state of drift ice, its attractions, and what each and every person can do to protect it, and to use this festival as an opportunity to make people love drift ice even more!

Event Program

For more information about the event, please click here.

February 8 (Saturday)

10:00~ Opening (Yosakoi and other citizen performances)
11:00 ~ Opening Ceremony
(After the event) Gifts of local products from sister cities
(With the cooperation of Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture, Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture)
12:20~ Radio calisthenics to combat the cold
13:00~ Yusuke Hashimoto Song Stage
14:15~ Comedy Stage "Tom Brown"
15:15~ Drift Ice Kayak Pulling Competition"Tom Browne to participate!!"
※Entry acceptance has closed.
Sunset to 8:00pm: Illumination of snow and ice sculptures

Abashiri Civic Hall
17:00~ ICE BREAKING MUSIC FEST (Doors open at 16:15/Start at 17:00)
For those who plan to attend Parking Information teeth Here
*Citizens' Hall parking lot cannot be used.

February 9th (Sunday)

10:30~ Bakujo Sentai Bunbunja Show (High touch event will be held after the show)
13:00 - Grateful for the blessings of drift ice! Scallops fly in the sky!
14:20~ Bakujo Sentai Bunbunja Show (High touch event will be held after the show)
15:30~ Drift ice mikoshi and mochi throwing
16:00 Closing

Inside the venue
12:00-16:00 Drift Ice SAUNA FEST (Advance reservations required)

Two-day regular event

10:00~ Okhotsk "Floating Ice Ring Toss"
10:00~ Drift Ice Trust Campaign
10:00~ Firewood chopping experience & bonfire festival
(With the cooperation of the Abashiri District Forestry Association and mokki, a shop selling Nordic goods and outdoor experiences)

Pick UP Event

(February 8, 14:15~)
Comedy stage "Tom Brown"

Tom Brown, a finalist in the 2024 M-1 Grand Prix, will be performing a comedy live show! The laughter of the two will blow away the freezing cold!

(2/9 10:30~, 14:20~)
Bakujo Sentai Bunbunger Character Show

We will be holding a character show for "Bakujo Sentai Bunbunger"! Let's all cheer them on!!

(2/9 13:00~) *Admission starts at 12:30
Grateful for the blessings of drift ice! Scallops also fly in the sky!?

This year's event celebrates the 60th Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival!
About 60kg of frozen scallops will be thrown from the stage like mochi-throwing! Come and get some delicious scallops that have been nurtured by the blessings of the drift ice!

~Notes for all participants~
・Participants are limited to 500 high school students and above on a first-come, first-served basis.
-The scallops are packed in cushioning material, so please do not try to catch them with a bag or pouch, but rather catch them with your hands.
・There is a risk of injury if you try to catch the ball with excessive force, so please keep a distance from others around you.
・This event will end as soon as the scallops run out.

(Both days 10:00-16:00)
Product Hall and Taste Hall Joint Raffle

A raffle ticket will be issued for purchases and meals of 100 yen or more at the Product Hall and Taste Hall, and each 3,000 yen worth of raffle tickets will allow you to enter one raffle.
Prizes will include merchandise provided by exhibitors, as well as a special prize to commemorate the 60th Drift Ice Festival: a large boiled hairy crab from the Okhotsk Sea weighing approximately 1kg (limited quantity).
We look forward to your participation at the direct sales booth inside the Ajikakukan!

Traffic and parking information

On the day of the Drift Ice Festival, there will be traffic restrictions around the venue, so please follow the instructions of traffic controllers.
In addition, there will be parking lot No. 1 within walking distance of the venue, and parking lot No. 2 in the Shinko area.
A free shuttle bus will be running between Parking Lot 2 and the venue, so please use it.

To all visitors

・Television program filming is scheduled to take place at the venue. Please be aware that footage of what happens inside the venue may be broadcast or streamed on television or other means.

・ Please note that any photographs taken by the organizers inside the venue may be used for future promotional activities.