Abashiri

The first place I visited after checking out of my hostel in Sapporo was Abashiri.
Abashiri is a small town on the eastern coast of Hokkaido. There are 2 museums I really wanted to check out there: Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples and the Drift Ice Museum.
To get here, I took an all-night bus from Sapporo (23:XX) to Abashiri Station (6:XX). It didn't work that well, but at least I did save on accommodations for 1 night. Choose your battles.

I got off at Abashiri JR Station, which happened to be across the street from the hotel I booked for that night!

With lots of time on my hands and little idea of where anything was, I decided to explore the town on foot.

Ainu fisherman (?) in front of Abashiri JR Station

Phonebooth (with drift ice on top) and my hotel

Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples

I was wandering around the center of town (or the residential area?) and decided to take a taxi.

The best yet costly decision I made.

The ride cost about $17 (VERY expensive compared to what I'm used to), but the journey took 10-15 minutes from where I was. Basically, I never would have made it if I had walked.

There she is.

Free audio guides in 5 languages

I took advantage of it.
I never used an audio guide before. I'm glad I did for this museum.

A world map highlighting the museum's geographical focus

Thank you, now off to the next museum--within walking distance, fortunately.

Ohotsuku Ryuhyo (Drift Ice Museum)

I don't remember how long I walked from the Museum of Northern People to this one, but it felt less than 10 minutes.

The bottom overhead sign points to the museum.

What a picturesque picnic spot.

Ohotsuku Ryuhyo (Drift Ice Museum)

Go downstairs for the museum part.

Want to enter a room with actual drift ice from the sea?

To think they got this ice back in February.

They give you a damp towel.
Spin it around for 30+/- seconds, and watch/feel it harden.

Go up to the roof for the observatory. The view is worth checking out.

Looking towards the sea

Looking inland

On the 2nd (or 3rd?) floor is a restaurant.

After walking all morning, I decided to try out something on their menu, if it caught my eye.

The deer burger caught my eye.

The Ezo Deer Mince Cutlet Burger meal!

Even at the restaurant, you can have a good view.

Abashiri Prison

I wasn't as interested in this one as I was in the previous 2 museums, but I thought to go by and check it out anyway. It was further from the Drift Ice museum than the Northern Peoples museum was, but no worries: that helped me walk off my lunch.

Entrance to Abashiri Prison museum

Ah, good to know

Now I find out about the bus.
I was very grateful to be able to take it back to my hotel.

The ticket office, with the entrance in the background

Abashiri Prison Museum main entrance

There's a restaurant in this museum.
You can eat a typical "prison meal" with some of the "inmates!"

Wait, is that an inmate escaping?!

Wow, what a story!

Before Leaving Abashiri

I was so happy to sleep in a bed again, after spending the previous night on a bus.

Below are a few photos taken from my window.

Looking away from Abashiri JR Station

Looking towards Abashiri JR Station

Looking straight at Abashiri JR Station
I took this picture from the hotel's restaurant during breakfast.

Random artwork on platform 1 in the train station

I took many more pictures and put them together into a sort of slideshow. Below is said "photo slideshow."

Honestly, Abashiri is one of my favorite Hokkaido towns. Sapporo is fine, but I really liked it there in Abashiri.