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Northern Peoples and Drift Ice in Abashiri
Exciting visit to the local museums specializing in the culture of Northern Peoples and Drift Ice Museum. Abashiri, located in the east of Hokkaido, has some unique museums which give you opportunities to learn about the culture of the Northern Peoples and drift ice covering Okhotsk Sea in winter.
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Abashiri.
Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples gives you opportunities to learn about a lot about northern minorities.
Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum, where you can really touch some drift ice in the special exhibition room.
Moyoro Shell Mound Museum is located at the mouth of Abashiri River and you can learn a lot about the Moyoro People, who lived in this area long time ago.
Ending Point
At your hotel in Abashiri.
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Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee, hotel pick-up in Abashiri, transportation
lunch, dinner, museum entrance fee
Tour Important Information
Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples is closed on Mondays and there are some special exhibitions at certain time of the year.
There is no restaurant in this museum. Open hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (July - September 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) This is the only museum which specializes in the culture of Northern Peoples, and you can see many interesting exhibits such as colorful clothes, wooden ritual masks, musical instruments, wood carvings. Audio guide is available.
Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum offers you experience to actually be able to touch some real drift ice in the special exhibition room with -15℃. Also, you can see some cute marine creatures such as cliones, known as drift ice angels and balloon lumpfish.
You can see panoramic view of Okhotsk Sea and Shiretoko National Park, which is designated as World Natural Heritage Site from the observation deck. This place is sometimes closed when it is very windy.
There are cafe and restaurant. Open hour is 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (May - October), 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (November - April)
Important message from the guide
I can help you visit the places around Abashiri, where I live and go hiking in our area. There isn't frequent transportation service here and I think you need to take a taxi or rent a car. We basically begin our tours from Abashiri and return to this city. If you plan to start your tour from different cities, let me know about your plan. In that case, you might need to pay for my transportation expenses and accomodation fees. There might be some cases that I have to drive a long way ( more than 3 or 4 hours for one way) and stay at a hotel on the day before meeting you.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Shiretoko / Abashiri Tour Reviews
Karl Z.
Hike at Mt.Meakan Breathing Fresh Air in a Virgin Forest.
Customized
“Great experience! Very nice hike and trip planing ”
Since I contacted Hiroshi, he always made big effort to plan a perfect trip, with possible plan B or C if weather conditions were bad and asked about my preferences. So I can clearly say that the trip was planned for me and my taste. I knew what i had to expect, what i should prepare for and where Hiroshi could help. The weather conditions weren't perfect with wind and rain so that the day before we switched to plan B, hiking mount motoro, where the hike had better wind coverage from trees and was shorter to be able to walk back if necessary. The view was just stunning!!! Amazing, best time conditions for taking nice pictures. A bit cold and bit cloudy but we were so good prepared we didnt bother at all. At the summit we enjoyed a hot coffee with picnic lunch and had the first snow of the year, yet we still were good prepared and enjoyed it! Short time later it was a bit sunny again and even ate an ice cream at the start/end of the hike. You have to love hokkaido in autumn. On our Journey to the hike and back we did visit some nice observatorie points which was an amazing extension as we had plenty of time because of the shorter hike. At the end for me it wasnt plan B, if was an A+, huge congrats and thanks to Hiroshi. Can only recommend him!
Hiroshi K.
(5 reviews)Hi Karl Thanks for your kind words. I also had a great time walking with you. (The weather wasn't perfect for the hike, though.) We changed our original hike plan to plan B and I think we made a better choice because we could have extra time to visit another place, Lake Mashu. What a wonderful view we could see there. As I told you during our hike, there are many exciting places to visit around Abashiri. I'm looking forward to seeing you here again and having another hike to enjoy breathtaking views. Please let me know any time if you want to get more information about Okhotsk area. Thanks again for contacting me, Karl. Hiroshi
Melissa W.
Shiretoko Walk Feeling the Breath of Spring
Customized
“The best guide”
Hiroshi is the nicest, most knowledgeable guide we've ever had. We are a couple travelling through the Shiretoko area and as we didn't drive, our request were out of the ordinary. As well as needing a guide through the national park, we also needed transportation included. Hiroshi was very accommodating in our needs. He went above and beyond for us, had coffee and homemade bread prepared which we are so touched by. The day was perfect and we are so glad we had met him and had him as our guide. We hope to meet him again one day.
Hiroshi K.
(5 reviews)Hi Melissa & Joe Thanks a lot for your kind words, Melissa. I also had a great time with you two. It's a bit too warm for a nature tour, but we're lucky to see so many Hokkaido deer while walking and driving. Please come to Hokkaido again and enjoy its natural beauty. Hokkaido gives us gorgeous views and natural habitats for many wild animals and birds. I believe it is a paradise for you, especially for Joe. Let's have another Origami folding paper time together!! Many thanks, Hiroshi
Tony J.
Northern Peoples and Drift Ice in Abashiri
“Enjoying Abashiri area with Hiroshi”
Hiroshi is a fantastic local Abashiri guide born, raised and living in the remote Shiretoko region of Hoddaiko. The unseasonal melting of snow meant our original plans to include snow-shoeing had to be changed, with Hiroshi re-arranging our day brilliantly to include Lake Tofutsu, Mt Mokoto observatory, the Museum of the Northern Peoples, and Cape Notoro. Hiroshi came prepared with home-made bread, coffee and tea, and binoculars for our bird-watching successes that included a family group of Japanese Cranes, Stellar Sea-Eagles and white-tailed eagles. Hiroshi made our day a fantastic experience. Highly recommended!
Hiroshi K.
(5 reviews)Hello Tony and Veronica, Thanks for your mail and good review. I haven't been doing guide jobs lately due to the covid-19, so I'm sure I'm a little rusty. Sorry about asking you again several times. As for our snowshoe walk, we didn't have any luck, but we were very lucky to be able to see gorgeous eagles and cranes. And I was really happy to know Mt.Mokoto observatory was a great success! Please come again, Tony and Veronica. I'll be very happy to have you here in Abashiri any time of the year. Feel free to ask me for more information about this area in the future. Many thanks, Hiroshi
