Observe animals at their most natural state

Asahiyama Zoo

Asahiyama Zoo is one of notorious zoos in Japan. Here, 700 animals of more than 130 kinds are raised and kept. They include penguins, polar bears, etc. In the winter, you can see penguins “taking a walk” being released in snow. This is one of the most popular attractions of the zoo. Here, facilities are deliberately and carefully designed so that visitors can observe animals from different angles to catch them at their most natural state.

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Enjoy the panoramic view from the mountain

Mt. Kurodake Cable Car

Rolling landscape of Sounkyo, nothing can exceed the excitement of looking down at the spectacular view from the mountain top. The cable car will take you up Mt. Kurodake to its mid point (1,300m high) while you sit back and relax. At the observatory deck, there awaits the panoramic view of the entire Sounkyo.

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Two water falls expressing softness and hardness

Ryusei no Taki Fall (Shooting Stars Fall) and Ginga no Taki Fall (Milky Way Fall)

Other than its mountains, Sounkyo is known for water walls. Ryusei no Taki Fall and Ginga no Taki Fall are two water falls often time seen as a pair. Ryusei no Taki Fall expresses male like masculinity and power. On the other hand, Ginga no Taki Fall expresses female like delicacy and softness. People see them as husband and wife water falls. If you wish to see both falls at the same time, walk through a mountain path from the parking lot and climb up to the Sobakudai observatory deck (the path is about 450 meter, takes about 20 min.)

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Endless sea of onion field

Abashiri City

After watching playful foxes, continue your journey to Abashiri City. Being the largest onion production region in Japan, you will be welcomed by the vast sea of onion field in Kitami City. Your journey across Hokkaido ends just as you enter Abashiri City.

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Life in prison

Abashiri Prison Museum

Abashiri Prison Museum is a wooden architect from the Meiji Period and exhibits the life in prison at the time. In the museum, wax dolls are arranged to show you what the imprisonment life was like back then and you can also step into some of the rooms where prisoners lived in. You can also learn how prisoners successfully escaped from the prison. Visitors can also experience the taste of prison meals.

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Journey of Ice

Okhotsk Ryu-hyo (Drift Ice) Museum

This museum offers various exhibitions on drift ice that can be seen in Abashiri. You can also experience how it is like to stand in a temperature 18 degrees below zero and observe the actual drift ice (“extreme cold experience” and “drift ice experience”). Don’t worry, drift ice can be seen in summer too. The museum also exhibits “clione” so-called angels of drift ice, which are small mollusks. At the highest level of the museum, you can see the panoramic view of Abashiri City from the “Tentozan Obseratory Deck”.

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