*This is an archive of the email newsletter distributed on May 11, 2024.

Hello, this is the Abashiri City Tourism Association.
From 2022 to 2024, we will send emails to people who requested it in the Abashiri Charm Discovery Survey during their Abashiri trip.
 
This is the first e-mail newsletter to be sent out.
We will provide you with the latest information on Abashiri, so please use it when planning your trip.

1. Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park

The moss phlox is in full bloom at Higashimokoto Moss Phlox Park. After a long winter, the sight of the pink moss phlox covering the entire hill is simply breathtaking. There is also a sightseeing car, go-karts, a fishing pond, and a day spa, so the whole family can enjoy themselves. The best time to see the moss phlox is from May 12th to May 20th.
 
During the Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival (May 3rd (Fri) - May 31st (Fri)), fun events are held every Sunday. The area is also easily accessible from Abashiri.
 
Admission fee
Adults 600 yen, elementary school students 300 yen

↓↓Related sites here↓↓

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park (official website)

2. Abashiri Nature Cruise

On the Abashiri Nature Cruise, which departs from the roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri," you can see fin whales from May to June. Fin whales, which can reach up to 25 meters in length, are large even among whales, and there are only a few places in the world where they can be seen, making this a rare cruise. Another sight worth seeing is the countless water birds known as shearwaters.
Please note that the service may not be available due to weather conditions.

Fee
Adults: 8,800 yen, elementary school students: 4,400 yen

↓↓Related sites here↓↓

Abashiri Nature Cruise

3. Crab Rice Campaign - Until June 20, 2024 (Thursday)

In winter, drift ice comes to the Sea of Okhotsk off the coast of Abashiri, and this drift ice brings plankton, making the sea a nutritious place for crabs. When the drift ice disappears in the spring, crab fishing finally begins. The crabs caught after the drift ice disappear are nutritious and at their most delicious.
The "Crab is delicious after the drift ice has cleared! Abashiri Crab Rice Campaign" is being held until June 20th. 20 restaurants in Abashiri City are serving Japanese and Western-style crab dishes, and there is also a lottery where you can win luxurious crab-related prizes by collecting three stamps.
Why not try some seasonal hairy crab?

4. Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri, Sunday, May 19, 2024

The "Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri" is an event where hairy crabs are thrown high into the air and compete to grab them. Anyone who catches a hairy crab can take it home, making it a great opportunity to eat Abashiri's delicious crab.
To participate in the Crab Throwing, you must purchase a ticket in advance. 100 people can participate in each session in the morning and afternoon on Sunday, May 19th, for a total of 200 people. Winners will be selected by lottery on the day to receive a participation ticket.
Even if you can't participate in the crab throwing, there will be a raffle where you can win hairy crabs and accommodation vouchers, a sale of boiled crabs at beach prices, and a variety of food and drink sales corners so you can enjoy crabs after the drift ice has cleared.

↓↓Related sites here↓↓

Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri

5. Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum

This tourist facility is themed around drift ice and the creatures of the Sea of Okhotsk. There is a video that gives you the feeling of diving under the drift ice, a "Drift Ice World Experience Room" where you can touch real drift ice, and an observation roof gallery on the roof where you can feel the breeze, and you can look down on the Sea of Okhotsk, Lake Abashiri, the Shiretoko Mountain Range, and the cityscape of Abashiri.
The drift ice soft serve ice cream at Cafe de Clione on the first floor is extremely popular for its salted caramel flavor made with salt from the Sea of Okhotsk. At Dolce Aqua, a new restaurant that opened this year, you can enjoy pizza and pasta made with plenty of Okhotsk ingredients.

↓↓Related sites here↓↓

Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum

6. Bicycle rental

It's the perfect season for cycling. The tourist information center at the roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri" also offers bicycle rentals. They rent out a variety of bicycles, including city bikes, cross-road bikes, and electrically assisted bicycles, and they also provide information on recommended cycling courses.
Why not try cycling through the fresh greenery of spring and early summer?

↓↓Related sites here↓↓

Abashiri City Tourism Association Bicycle Rental

7. Asparagus harvesting experience

At Omagari Lakeside Park in Abashiri City, asparagus harvesting experiences will begin from mid-May to mid-June. You can also take home freshly picked asparagus at a low price. More information will be released soon on the Abashiri City Tourism Association's official website, "Oishii Machi Abashiri."

↓↓Related sites here↓↓

Delicious town Abashiri

What did you think of this seasonal Abashiri tourist information?
We look forward to your visit.