ARTICLES
A Love for Monbetsu, the Sea, and Drift Ice: The Dreams and Challenges of Katsushi Murai of Okhotsk Garinko Tower
On September 15, 2020, Okhotsk Garinko Tower Co., Ltd. in Monbetsu City received a Japan Coast Guard Commandant's Commendation as a token of gratitude for providing maritime information. Watching on with deep emotion from the back during the ceremony was Mr. Katsushi Murai, the subject of our interview. He is the Manager of the General Affairs Division at Okhotsk Garinko Tower Co., Ltd. and also works at the tower's reception.
(Photo courtesy of Monbetsu Coast Guard Office)
The Okhotsk Tower stands tall over the port where the famous "Icebreaker Garinko-go" departs during the drift ice season. It is Japan's only ice sea observation tower, offering views of the drift ice from both above and below the surface. Outside of the drift ice season, it serves as an underwater observation tower, exhibiting marine life representative of the Okhotsk Sea (on the seabed floor, about 8 meters below sea level).
So, what exactly does providing maritime information from the Okhotsk Tower entail?
We asked Mr. Murai about the kind of work that is usually done at the tower.
Mr. Murai first came to Monbetsu to write his university graduation thesis, studying under a professor known as "Dr. Drift Ice." Although he hoped to find a job in Monbetsu related to drift ice, he went on to work for many years at a marine research company in Sapporo. In 2013, he finally fulfilled his long-held wish to move to Monbetsu when he began working for the Monbetsu Tourism Association. He later joined his current company. He is also in charge of managing the exhibits at the Okhotsk Tower.
"As for providing maritime information, we provide marine observation data in the summer and sea ice observation data in the winter. The Okhotsk Tower originally opened in February 1996 as the Okhotsk Sea Ice Research Institute. Hokkaido University used to have a drift ice research facility here, but it was closed down. With no base for visual observation left, the city of Monbetsu built the Okhotsk Tower to serve as both a tourist facility and an observation base, with an additional role of supporting young researchers. Then, in 2003, we merged with the company that operates the Garinko-go, which brings us to the present day."
(Icebreaker Garinko-go)
What is the significance of providing maritime information?
"It's too late to start investigating after something has already happened. I have bitter memories from my time in marine research when we couldn't reproduce phenomena because we only started investigating after an incident occurred. There is so much that becomes clear through long-term observation. We don't just accumulate data; we also analyze it."
(Observation in progress)
Mr. Murai is involved in a wide range of tasks, from updating the exhibits at the Okhotsk Tower to public relations. We asked him what he wants to do at the Okhotsk Tower in the future.
"I want to always feel excited myself, and I want to make this a facility where children gather and say, 'We're back again!' In terms of research, while the advancement of computers has made it possible to run simulations without going into the field, I want this to remain a place where young researchers can learn in the actual field."
(Exhibits at the Okhotsk Tower)
With a love for Monbetsu, the sea, and the drift ice, Mr. Murai protects the lives of many through the extension of his steady, painstaking research. The Okhotsk Tower is the base for all his endeavors.
(Photo courtesy of Monbetsu Coast Guard Office)The Okhotsk Tower stands tall over the port where the famous "Icebreaker Garinko-go" departs during the drift ice season. It is Japan's only ice sea observation tower, offering views of the drift ice from both above and below the surface. Outside of the drift ice season, it serves as an underwater observation tower, exhibiting marine life representative of the Okhotsk Sea (on the seabed floor, about 8 meters below sea level).
So, what exactly does providing maritime information from the Okhotsk Tower entail?
We asked Mr. Murai about the kind of work that is usually done at the tower.
Mr. Murai first came to Monbetsu to write his university graduation thesis, studying under a professor known as "Dr. Drift Ice." Although he hoped to find a job in Monbetsu related to drift ice, he went on to work for many years at a marine research company in Sapporo. In 2013, he finally fulfilled his long-held wish to move to Monbetsu when he began working for the Monbetsu Tourism Association. He later joined his current company. He is also in charge of managing the exhibits at the Okhotsk Tower.
"As for providing maritime information, we provide marine observation data in the summer and sea ice observation data in the winter. The Okhotsk Tower originally opened in February 1996 as the Okhotsk Sea Ice Research Institute. Hokkaido University used to have a drift ice research facility here, but it was closed down. With no base for visual observation left, the city of Monbetsu built the Okhotsk Tower to serve as both a tourist facility and an observation base, with an additional role of supporting young researchers. Then, in 2003, we merged with the company that operates the Garinko-go, which brings us to the present day."
(Icebreaker Garinko-go)What is the significance of providing maritime information?
"It's too late to start investigating after something has already happened. I have bitter memories from my time in marine research when we couldn't reproduce phenomena because we only started investigating after an incident occurred. There is so much that becomes clear through long-term observation. We don't just accumulate data; we also analyze it."
(Observation in progress)Mr. Murai is involved in a wide range of tasks, from updating the exhibits at the Okhotsk Tower to public relations. We asked him what he wants to do at the Okhotsk Tower in the future.
"I want to always feel excited myself, and I want to make this a facility where children gather and say, 'We're back again!' In terms of research, while the advancement of computers has made it possible to run simulations without going into the field, I want this to remain a place where young researchers can learn in the actual field."
(Exhibits at the Okhotsk Tower)With a love for Monbetsu, the sea, and the drift ice, Mr. Murai protects the lives of many through the extension of his steady, painstaking research. The Okhotsk Tower is the base for all his endeavors.
