Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing Icebreaker

Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing Icebreaker

Abashiri is a major tourist attraction in winter. The waters of the Amur River in Sibera freeze near its mouth and float down here. The 491-ton, 3,000-horsepower icebreaker Aurora makes departures from Abashiri Port from mid-January to late March. The vessel proceeds through the 50-cm thick ice sheet at a constant speed of 3 knots. A highlight of the trip is the blocks of ice that strike the bottom of the boat and cause its entire body to shake. You can also see visiting white-tailed eagles and seals. Another option is to take the JR Ryuhyo Norokko train on a one-hour journey, where you can watch the drift ice covering the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as the Shiretoko Mountains, through the window from the comfort of your seat in one of the four passenger carriages pulled by the locomotive. Coal stoves are installed inside the train, where you can buy cuttlefish and cook it up yourself.