Abashiri Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
city in Hokkaido, Japan
About Abashiri
Abashiri is the capital city ofOkhotsk Subprefecture. Once unimaginably far in the back of beyond, the name Abashiri used to strike terror into the hearts of suspected lawbreakers: it was the site of Japan's first maximum-security prison, built in 1890 when the enlightened Meiji era leaders decided to copy Western ways instead of simply executing convicted criminals. Enlightenment in this case, however, translated into backbreaking hard labor (mostly road construction) and, for difficult cases like political prisoners, unheated cells in a region where winter temperatures often fall below -20 ° (-4 °F). The prison was finally closed in 1984, though a newly constructed prison continues the tradition. Today's Abashiri is an unattractive modern town filled with the implements and smells of i
Top Attractions in Abashiri
Explore the best things to see and do in Abashiri:
- ★Abashiri Prison Museum
- ★Icebreaker Aurora
- ★Museum of Northern Peoples
- ★Okhotsk Ryūhyō Museum
Where to Stay in Abashiri
- 🏨Abashiri Ryūhō-no-Oka YH
Abashiri Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: