Facing the Sea of Okhotsk and surrounded by rich nature, the Okhotsk area has cultivated its own unique culture. Why not embark on a journey packed with learning and discovery? Now is your chance to travel for less, with various discount plans available from a range of public transportation providers!

Here, we'll introduce a model 3-day, 2-night itinerary to fully enjoy the Okhotsk area. We hope you'll use it as inspiration for making some wonderful summer memories.

The journey begins at Sapporo Okadama Airport. Board a flight from Sapporo Okadama Airport to Memanbetsu Airport with a ticket booked using JAL's "Ikouze Nippon! Donai Gurutto Wari." This discount plan allows you to book up to 7 days before your departure date and includes a valuable bus ticket that you can use upon arrival at the airport.

【Approx. 55 min by plane (JAL) from "Sapporo Okadama Airport" to "Memanbetsu Airport"】

Once you arrive at Memanbetsu Airport, use your ticket for a free ride on the shuttle bus! Enjoy the ride as the bus takes you into Abashiri City.

【Approx. 35 min by shuttle bus from "Memanbetsu Airport" to "Abashiri Bus Terminal"】

After boarding the Abashiri Bus, don't forget to pick up an "Eco Card" at JR Abashiri Station! This card is part of the "Let's Protect the Drift Ice by Using Public Transport! Campaign." By collecting stamps at designated locations, you can enter a prize draw.

Photo courtesy of Hokkaido Okhotsk General Subprefectural Bureau

Some of the facilities on this itinerary have stamps, so be sure to enter. This campaign is also a great way to learn about the movement to protect the Okhotsk drift ice from global warming.

20:00 Abashiri City

And when you think of Okhotsk, you have to think of its seafood!

You'll be staying in Abashiri tonight, so be sure to savor the local flavors for dinner!

Abashiri is also famous for many other local gourmet dishes, such as Okhotsk Abashiri Zangi Don (fried chicken rice bowl), Abashiri Moyoro Nabe (hot pot), and Abashiri Chanpon (noodle soup). You can find restaurants on the Abashiri City Tourism Association's website, so check it out for ideas.

After enjoying a delicious meal, there's one more thing to do before setting off in the morning. You'll need to purchase your tickets for Day 2 from "OkhoNavi." OkhoNavi is a service that allows you to buy discounted public transportation tickets for the Okhotsk area anytime, anywhere, right from your smartphone. No app download is required.

You'll want to get the "Abashiri Sightseeing Facility Tour Bus & Doko Bus Common 1-Day Pass" (1,500 yen, tax included), which gives you unlimited rides on the "Doko Bus" for the entire day. The Doko Bus is incredibly convenient for sightseeing in Abashiri, but it operates differently from regular route buses. Let's do a quick review.

The Doko Bus does not have a fixed timetable. There are bus stops all over Abashiri City. First, passengers check the numbers of the bus stop where they want to get on and the bus stop where they want to get off. Then, you just call the call center and give them those numbers. That's it—your reservation is complete.

All that's left is to go to the designated bus stop, and when the bus arrives, tell the driver your reservation number to board. You can check bus stop locations in the user guide distributed at various places in Abashiri. You can also make reservations from your smartphone and access a digital bus stop map via a QR code. Please note that the bus operates from 9:00 to 16:00, and the reservation desk closes at 15:45.

On the second day of your trip, make the most of the Doko Bus for a full day of sightseeing. First up is Abashiri's most famous attraction, the "Abashiri Prison Museum." After departing from Abashiri Station, it's about a 10-minute ride on the Doko Bus. By the way, the Abashiri 1-Day Pass not only gives you unlimited rides on the Doko Bus but also offers discounts at various facilities. You'll get 10% off the entrance fee to the Abashiri Prison Museum!

【Approx. 10 min by Doko Bus from "Abashiri Station (Platform 1)" (Bus Stop No. 509) to "Abashiri Prison Museum" (Bus Stop No. 903)】

Photo courtesy of Abashiri Prison Museum

Photo courtesy of Abashiri Prison Museum

The word "prison" might sound a bit intimidating, but you'll likely be surprised by the sheer size of the place once you step inside. The buildings were actually used at Abashiri Prison since the Meiji era, and you can still see marks on the thick beams and pillars where inmates carved them. It feels like you've traveled back in time.

Photo courtesy of Abashiri Prison Museum

While you're here, why not have lunch? The Prison Cafeteria serves a re-creation of the actual meals that the inmates used to eat. Eating this might just complete your prisoner experience... After this unique meal, it's time to leave the museum.

Abashiri Prison Museum

■Location: 1-1 Yobito, Abashiri
■Hours: 9:00–17:00
*Hours may vary by season
*Last admission is one hour before closing
■Admission: Adults 1,100 yen, University/High School Students 770 yen, Elementary/Junior High Students 550 yen
See details for "Abashiri Prison Museum" on Domingo

【Approx. 10 min by Doko Bus from "Abashiri Prison Museum" (Bus Stop No. 903) to "Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum" (Bus Stop No. 905)】

Photo courtesy of Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum

Hop on the Doko Bus again for a 15-minute ride to the "Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum." As its name suggests, this facility is themed around drift ice (ryuhyo) and the creatures of the Sea of Okhotsk. You can learn while having fun by observing Clione, also known as sea angels, watching one of Hokkaido's largest permanent projection mapping displays, and experiencing the -15°C Drift Ice Terrace.

Photo courtesy of Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum

By the way, if you use your Abashiri 1-Day Pass, you can get a 50 yen discount on the soft-serve ice cream sold here.

After learning about drift ice, be sure to visit the observation deck on the 3rd floor. From here, you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the Sea of Okhotsk, Lake Abashiri, Lake Notoro, Lake Tofutsu, Lake Mokoto, and the Shiretoko mountain range.

Photo courtesy of Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum

Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum / Tentozan Observatory

■Location: 244-3 Tentozan, Abashiri
■Hours: May–Oct 8:30–18:00, Nov–Apr 9:00–16:30, New Year's (12/29–1/5) 10:00–15:00
*Last admission is 30 minutes before closing
■Admission: Adults 770 yen, High School Students 660 yen, Elementary/Junior High Students 550 yen
See details for "Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum / Tentozan Observatory" on Domingo

【Approx. 15 min walk from "Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum" to "Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples"】

Photo courtesy of Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples

Leaving the Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum, it's about a 15-minute walk to the "Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples." Here too, the Abashiri 1-Day Pass gives you a discount on admission, from 550 yen to 500 yen.

Photo courtesy of Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples

On display here are numerous artifacts related to the cultures of various northern peoples and the prehistoric cultures that influenced their formation. The prehistoric section focuses on the Okhotsk culture that once flourished along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, which should be of particular interest to anyone traveling through this very region.

Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples

■Location: 309-1 Shiomi, Abashiri
■Hours: 9:30–16:30 *9:00–17:00 from July to September
■Permanent Exhibition Fee: General 550 yen, High School/University Students 200 yen
See details for "Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples" on Domingo

【Approx. 15 min walk from "Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples" to "Hana Tento"】

Photo courtesy of Abashiri City Tourism Association

After filling your head with so much to see and learn, it's time to fill your heart with beautiful scenery. A 15-minute walk from the Museum of Northern Peoples is the flower garden "Hana Tento." It's a spectacular spot where you can take some wonderful commemorative photos.

Flower Garden Hana Tento

■Location: 15 Yobito, Abashiri
■Blooming Season: Early July to Mid-October
■Peak Season: Early August to Late September
See details for "Flower Garden Hana Tento" on Domingo

After leaving Hana Tento, it's time to use the Doko Bus again. The next destination is the "Moyoro Shell Mound Museum."

【Approx. 15 min by Doko Bus from "Hana Tento" (Bus Stop No. 908) to "Moyoro Shell Mound Parking" (Bus Stop No. 77)】

Photo courtesy of Abashiri City Tourism Association

About 1,300 years ago, people from the northern continent came to the land of Abashiri, where they lived using their fishing skills. This is said to have led to the formation of the unique Okhotsk culture.

Photo courtesy of Abashiri City Tourism Association

Here at the Moyoro Shell Mound Museum, the lives of these ancient people, as revealed through archaeological excavations, are displayed in themed exhibits.

Moyoro Shell Mound Museum

■Location: 2-chome, Kita 1-jo Higashi, Abashiri
■Hours: 9:00–17:00
*Until 16:00 during winter (Nov–Apr)
■Fee: Adults 300 yen, High School/University Students 200 yen, Elementary/Junior High Students 100 yen
See details for "Moyoro Shell Mound Museum" on Domingo

【Approx. 15 min walk from "Moyoro Shell Mound Museum" to "Michi-no-Eki Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri"】

Photo courtesy of Abashiri City Tourism Association

It's about a 15-minute walk from the Moyoro Shell Mound Museum to the roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri." They sell many local specialty products, so it's a great place to enjoy some shopping for souvenirs or for yourself.

Photo courtesy of Abashiri City Tourism Association

Minato Kanko Koryu Center (Michi-no-Eki "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri")

■Location: 4-chome, Minami 3-jo Higashi, Abashiri
■Hours: Apr–Sep 9:00–18:30, Oct–Mar 9:00–18:00
See details for Minato Kanko Koryu Center (Michi-no-Eki "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri") on Domingo

【Approx. 20 min walk from "Michi-no-Eki Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri" to "JR Abashiri Station"】

17:44 JR Abashiri Station