Abashiri Hotels

Abashiri is a city located in Abashiri Subprefecture, Hokkaidô, Japan. Abashiri is the dryest city in Japan. Abashiri is best known as the site of the Abashiri Prison, a Meiji-era facility used for the incarceration of political prisoners. The old prison has been turned into a museum, but the city's new maximum security prison is still in use. It is an important local port city and railroad terminal. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 40,333 and the density of 85.6 persons per km². The total area is 470.94 km². Abashiri is located in the eastern part of Abashiri Subprefecture, about 50 kilometers east of Kitami. There are no tall mountains, but there are many hills. Abashiri's sister city is Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. Memanbetsu Airport is located in nearby Ôzora. To most Japanese, Abashiri is as synonymous with the word prison as Alcatraz is to Westerners. Mention of the prison (still in operation) once sent chills through the spines of even the most hardened criminals. Winters here are as harsh as they come, yet this is exactly why the area's become a tourist attraction. Looking out at a snow-white plain of frozen ice floes is a surreal experience, and the sound of icebergs grinding together from the force of the sea's currents make a deep impression on all who hear it. Appreciation for nature's grandness, even for its bleakness, is very Japanese. The town's economy now depends on fishing, tourism and trade with Russia, its nearest neighbour.