Märchen Hill, a series of fields on a gently sloping hillside, creates a beautiful rural landscape in every season. This was also the location for the movie “Dreams” directed by the late Akira Kurosawa. The tranquil landscape of fields and sky creates an impressive viewpoint. Located along Route 39 from downtown Memanbetsu in Ozora Town to Abashiri City, it is also famous among photographers as a photo spot.
The Drift Ice Sightseeing & Icebreaker Ship Aurora is one of the most exciting winter attractions in Abashiri, where you can enjoy the drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk from the ship. The large ship is well equipped and stable with little swaying. The power of the ship’s bottom hitting the ice blocks and the entire ship vibrating is truly impressive, and you may even spot white-tailed eagles flying gracefully and seals.
This base for experiential tourism is located on the shores of Lake Abashiri. Visitors can enjoy many hands-on activities such as kayaking and cycling at Lake Abashiri and the Abashiri River, and making pizza using locally grown ingredients. In winter, the facility offers many unique Abashiri experiences such as drift ice kayaking, drift ice fat biking, and guided wakasagi smelt fishing.
With the arrival of early summer, the pretty pink blossoms of moss phlox (shibazakura) cover this entire hillside of about 100,000 m2 (until early June). It is one of the largest fields of its kind in Japan. The park also offers go-cart riding, a fishing pond, and a campground with bungalows.
Crabs caught in the sea cleared of the drift ice soar in the sky! This is a spring event when hairy crab fishing is at its peak. The highlight of the event is the crab throwing! The sight of crabs flying high in the air is absolutely worthwhile. Freshly boiled crabs and other seafood are sold at reasonable prices, and other tasty delicacies from the city and elsewhere can also be enjoyed.
The festival, which is held on the Memanbetsu shore of Lake Abashiri, is the biggest event of the summer in the Memanbetsu district of Ozora Town. It features many fun events, such as a fireworks display on the water, a women-only row boat competition, and the Hokkaido Dragon Boat Competition!
This festival has been held more than 70 times and has a long tradition. The short Abashiri summer season is invigorated by a variety of events, including a drift ice dance parade by 1,000 dancers and a spectacular fireworks display at the climax of the festival.
Sunflowers are often thought of as summer flowers, but in the fields of Ozora Town, hundreds of thousands of sunflowers can be seen blooming even in autumn. They can be enjoyed at three locations in the town until late October.
This full marathon starts at Abashiri Prison, follows a course offering a scenic view of the Sea of Okhotsk and Cape Notoro, and finishes at a sunflower field in Omagari Lakeside Park. Runners are treated to an array of culinary delights on the course, including crab soup, wagyu beef, and shiny muscat grapes.
Wakasagi smelt ice fishing is a wintertime tradition along the Memanbetsu shore of Lake Abashiri. A hole is made in the frozen lake surface, and a line is dropped to catch wakasagi smelt. Rod rentals are available, and anyone can easily enjoy this activity (until late March). The caught wakasagi smelt can be enjoyed as tempura or fried!
Abashiri in winter is known for its drift ice. The Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival is a major winter event held in the frigid month of February. In addition to the ice and snow sculptures, gourmet food unique to this icy festival also serves as a huge attraction. Okhotsk Food Stall Village is also held simultaneously.