The Shiretoko, Abashiri and Kitami areas are rich in nature. In Shiretoko, drift ice can be seen from winter to early spring. In addition to the natural beauty of the area, there are many other attractions such as the Abashiri Prison and the Kitami Hakka Memorial Museum.
Recommended sightseeing information for Shiretoko, Abashiri, and Kitami. Shiretoko Peninsula is located in the eastern part of Hokkaido, facing the Sea of Okhotsk, and is a rich natural tourist destination where drift ice from the Arctic Circle arrives in winter. Shiretoko, which means "the end of the earth" in the Ainu language, is also called Japan's last unexplored region, and the sheer cliffs that it is named for are truly breathtaking. The Shiretoko Volcanic Formation runs through the center of the peninsula, and mountains over 1,000 meters high rise above the peninsula. The virgin forests that stretch inland are home to wild foxes, brown bears, Ezo squirrels, Ezo sika deer, and other animals.
Shiretoko, with its pristine nature, was designated as Japan's 22nd national park in 1964, and was later inscribed as a World Heritage site at the 29th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2005. Many tourists visit Shiretoko to see the unexplored nature. If this is your first visit to Shiretoko, we recommend that you take the Shiretoko Sightseeing Boat, which operates from Utoro between May and October.
Utoro, the sightseeing base, is also home to Utoro Hot Springs, but it is also famous for Iwaobetsu Hot Springs and Kamuiwakka Hot Spring Falls, where the entire waterfall is a hot spring. At the Shiretoko Five Lakes, one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Shiretoko, visitors are encouraged to take a nature guided tour and enjoy the great outdoors.
Located on the west side of the Shiretoko Peninsula is Abashiri City, famous for Abashiri Prison. Because of its location facing the Sea of Okhotsk, Abashiri City is known for its relatively mild climate for the East Hokkaido region, due in part to its oceanic climate. The city has an abundance of tourist attractions, with the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum and the icebreaker Garinko the centerpiece of the city's sightseeing. The Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum has a drift ice experience room where visitors can experience minus 18 degrees Celsius, allowing them to see and touch drift ice even in summer. Visitors can also get up close and personal with clione, the "angels of drift ice," and fushen fish. The Museum Abashiri Prison, which is an old Abashiri Prison building turned into a tourist facility, is another classic sightseeing spot in Abashiri City. Okhotsk Chipmunk Park is suited for tourists who like animals. The small zoo is home to Ezo chipmunks, and some of the squirrels are so accustomed to people that they even climb into tourists' shirts.
Kitami City is the third largest core city in eastern Hokkaido. Because of the abundance of nature in the city, many foxes live in the surrounding area, often appearing in residential areas. The city is also home to the "North Fox Farm," which is a tourist attraction. Before World War II, approximately 70% of the world's marijuana was produced in Kitami, making the city famous for its marijuana. The city has the Kitami Hakka Memorial Museum, which tells the story of the history of Hakka, and is a sightseeing spot. Near the Kitami Hakka Memorial Museum is the Usukashi Distillery, and many tourists visit the ruins of a private residence called the Hakka Palace. There is also the vast Kitami Flower Paradise, which boasts an area equivalent to six times the size of the Tokyo Dome, with 30,000 seasonal flowers of 85 varieties blooming in all four seasons.
Abashiri Prison Museum is an open-air museum that preserves and exhibits the historic buildings of the former Abashiri Prison, along with tools, documents, and other objects dating from the Meiji period onward. It is the only prison museum of its kind in Japan, offering visitors a vivid look at the history of incarceration and prison life in northern Japan. The museum's principal buildings, inclu...»
The Garinko is a powerful icebreaker designed to withstand the extreme conditions of the Sea of Okhotsk in winter. Equipped with enormous drill-shaped screws at the bow, the vessel breaks through thick sheets of drift ice as it cruises across the frozen sea. One of the most spectacular moments comes when broken pieces of ice rise dramatically alongside the hull as the ship pushes forward. The exp...»
The Road to Heaven is a spectacular straight road in Shari, eastern Hokkaido. Stretching for approximately 18 kilometers, the road runs straight into the distance before appearing to rise toward the sky. This remarkable perspective has earned it the evocative name “Road to Heaven.” Near the top of the hill stands a small wooden observation platform known as the Nameless Observatory. From this vie...»
Okhotsk Ryuhyokan Ice Pavilion is a fascinating museum in Abashiri, Hokkaido, dedicated to the drift ice and marine life of the Sea of Okhotsk. Visitors can experience real drift ice from the Okhotsk Sea throughout the year, even in the middle of summer. Inside the museum's freezing experience room, the temperature is maintained at approximately -15°C. Real pieces of drift ice are permanently dis...»
The Aurora Drift Icebreaker is one of the most popular ways to experience the spectacular drift ice of the Sea of Okhotsk. Rather than simply viewing the ice from the shore, passengers travel directly into the frozen sea as the powerful vessel pushes through even thick sheets of drift ice. From the deck, an immense field of white ice stretches across the horizon. As the ship advances, its hull co...»
Shiretoko Five Lakes are a group of five volcanic barrier lakes scattered at the foot of the Shiretoko Mountain Range on the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido. Surrounded by dense primeval forest, the lakes form one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the Shiretoko region, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The five lakes are known simply as Lake One, Lake Two, Lake Three, Lake F...»
Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park is one of Hokkaido’s most spectacular spring flower-viewing destinations. Located in Higashimokoto, Ozora Town, the park is famous for its vast hillside covered in colorful moss phlox, known in Japanese as shibazakura. From around mid-May to early June, approximately 100,000 square meters of gently sloping ground is transformed into a vivid floral landscape. The pin...»
Kamino-ko Pond is a remarkably clear pond in Kiyosato, eastern Hokkaido, famous for its vivid blue water and the mysterious sight of fallen trees preserved beneath the surface. Through the transparent water, the pond bottom can be seen at a depth of around 5 meters, appearing beautifully blue in the sunlight. Fallen tree trunks lie submerged in the clear water as if they were fossils, remarkably ...»
Kaori no Sato Herb Garden is a beautiful garden in Takinoue, Hokkaido, where approximately 300 varieties of herbs and flowers grow across a spacious 4-hectare site. From May through October, the garden changes with the seasons, offering visitors the chance to enjoy a constantly evolving display of fragrant herbs and colorful flowers. Surrounded by the natural beauty of northern Hokkaido, the gard...»
Okhotsk Kitami Salt Yakisoba is a distinctive local noodle dish from Kitami City in eastern Hokkaido. Created to showcase the region’s agricultural and seafood specialties, it brings together two of Kitami’s best-known ingredients: Okhotsk scallops and Kitami onions. Rather than relying on a rich sauce, the dish is seasoned with salt to bring out the natural flavors of its ingredients. The result...»
Shibetsu Three-Generation Salmon Zuke Don is a specialty rice bowl from Shibetsu in eastern Hokkaido, a region renowned for its abundant salmon fisheries. It combines fresh locally caught salmon and salmon roe with salmon flakes made from dried and smoked salmon, creating a dish that celebrates the full depth of Hokkaido's salmon culture....»
Ikura Shoyu-zuke is salmon roe marinated in soy sauce, a much-loved seafood specialty of Hokkaido. The jewel-like roe has a rich, savory flavor and a distinctive texture that pops gently in the mouth. Ikura is one of Hokkaido’s most popular seafood products and is enjoyed by people of all ages. The peak season for salmon fishing is generally from September to October, when fresh salmon roe, known...»
Hokkaido onions are an essential ingredient in Japanese cooking and are used in everyday dishes such as curry and stew. Hokkaido is said to account for more than half of Japan's total onion production, making it the country's leading onion-growing region. One of the greatest strengths of Hokkaido onions is their excellent storage quality. From November through April, they play an especially impor...»
Ikura, or salmon roe, is one of Hokkaido’s most prized seafood delicacies. Each bright, jewel-like egg gently pops in the mouth, releasing a rich umami flavor that makes it a particularly popular sushi topping in Japan....»
Rausu Kombu is a premium variety of kelp harvested around Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido. Renowned as one of Japan’s finest types of kombu, it is prized for its rich natural umami and excellent quality....»
Hanasaki Crab is a distinctive seafood specialty of eastern Hokkaido, known for its thick legs, abundant meat, and rich, juicy flavor. Its unusual appearance and satisfying texture make it one of the region’s memorable local delicacies....»
Tokishirazu, also written as “Tokishirazu,” is a prized salmon caught along the coast of Hokkaido in spring and early summer. Its unusual name literally suggests a salmon that “doesn’t know the season,” referring to the fact that it appears at a time different from the usual autumn salmon run....»
Hokkaido shrimp includes several prized varieties, particularly Hokkai Shima Ebi and Botan Ebi. Depending on the species and season, these shrimp are enjoyed as sashimi, sushi, grilled seafood, tempura and other dishes that highlight their distinctive sweetness and texture....»
Crab is one of the foods most closely associated with Hokkaido, and the island is home to several highly prized varieties. Among the most famous are Kegani horsehair crab, Zuwaigani snow crab, Tarabagani king crab, and Hanasaki crab. Each has its own fishing season, habitat and distinctive flavor....»
Hokkaido scallops are one of the island’s signature seafood products, ranking among the region’s leading marine specialties in both production volume and value. Grown in the cold waters surrounding Hokkaido, they are prized for their exceptional umami, substantial thickness and naturally sweet meat....»
Mako-garei, or marbled sole, is a highly regarded flatfish caught in the waters off Shiriuchi in southern Hokkaido. The area is known for producing high-quality wild Mako-garei, thanks to the favorable natural conditions of the nearby fishing grounds, Kikonai Bay and Hakodate Bay....»
Hatahata is a traditional seasonal fish of northern Japan, particularly associated with the cold winter months. Its roe is especially prized for its distinctive texture, with small eggs that pop pleasantly in the mouth and have a characteristic sticky quality....»
Saroma Lake scallops are one of the prized seafood specialties of northeastern Hokkaido. Raised in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Lake Saroma, these scallops are known for their large size, thick flesh and smooth, naturally sweet flavor....»
Keiji Salmon, known as “Keiji” in Japanese, is an exceptionally rare salmon caught around the Shiretoko Peninsula. It is said to be found only once in every 10,000 salmon caught in the region, making it one of Hokkaido’s most prized seafood delicacies. Because of its extreme rarity, it is sometimes described as a “phantom salmon.”...»
Raō is a premium brand of autumn salmon shipped from Rausu, one of Japan’s leading salmon-fishing areas and part of the World Heritage-listed Shiretoko Peninsula. Only a small percentage of the salmon landed during the peak season are selected to carry the Raō name, making it one of the most carefully chosen salmon specialties in eastern Hokkaido....»
Hotate Kun-yu-zuke is a classic Hokkaido souvenir made from fresh scallop adductor muscles harvested from the waters around Hokkaido. Gently smoked and preserved in high-quality vegetable oil, the scallops offer a rich umami flavor with a delicate smoky aroma....»
Noshi Hotate is a convenient snack made from Hokkaido scallop adductor muscles. The scallop meat is stretched thin and baked into delicate, leaf-shaped pieces, creating an easy way to enjoy the rich umami of Hokkaido scallops anytime, anywhere....»
Hokkaido Onion Soup is a convenient, flavorful soup that captures the rich taste and natural sweetness of locally grown onions. The Kitami region of Hokkaido is Japan's leading onion-producing area, accounting for approximately 30% of the country's total onion harvest. Made by Green Kitami Co., Ltd., this popular soup uses a concentrated extract obtained from onions grown in Kitami. The extract i...»