The famous winter attraction of the Sea of Okhotsk in Hokkaido is "drift ice." Many tourists visit to see it, and one of the most popular is the "Garinko" drift ice sightseeing boat, which penetrates the sea of drift ice with a large drill. A certain thing that appeared on board the Garinko has captured the hearts of many people on social media.

The "Crab Claw Lottery" offers the chance to win a giant stuffed crab claw! There are four different sizes available, from fourth prize to special prize, ranging from glove-sized to ones that your whole head can fit inside.

Its impact and cuteness has resulted in a flood of enthusiastic comments on social media, such as "I want this," and "I want to go to Monbetsu just for this." There were also comments predicting various uses for the product, such as "I want to display it," and "I want to wear it when I fight with my housemate."

What are Monbetsu's "crab claws"?

By the way, the "crab claw" that the stuffed toy is modeled after is a huge object in Monbetsu City. The impressive crab claw is 12 meters tall, 6 meters wide, and weighs 7 tons, making it a popular photo spot for tourists.

Crab claw lottery tickets are on sale at the Garinko ship's shop and at the Okhotsk Tower ice sea observation tower!

The "crab claw lottery" is being sold at the onboard shop of the "drift ice sightseeing boat Garinko-go" as well as at the "Okhotsk Tower Ice Sea Observation Tower" from January 25th. Why not try your luck at the lottery this winter and enjoy sightseeing in Monbetsu with your cute crab claws?

*Editor's note on April 7, 2025

The crab claw lottery tickets, which had sold out due to their popularity, have been announced to be on sale again at the Okhotsk Tower, an observation tower for the ice sea, from Wednesday, April 9th! Bring your crab claws and enjoy spring and summer in Monbetsu.