A world of minus 15 degrees Celsius! Why don't you experience drift ice at the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum in Abashiri, Hokkaido?

  • Hokkaido
  • Experience Gifu
Experience the temperature during the drift ice season!　Photo courtesy of Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum
Have you ever visited the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum in Abashiri, in the Okhotsk area in eastern Hokkaido? You can learn not only about drift ice but also about the creatures of the Sea of Okhotsk. At the "Drift Ice Terrace," where you can experience the world of drift ice, the "Shivare experience" is very popular, where you wave a wet towel around in the room where the temperature is -15℃ and freeze in a flash! You can also see the beautiful scenery of the Sea of Okhotsk at dusk, dawn, and low latitude aurora borealis. Why not touch real drift ice here? Why don't you take a picture with big drift ice and animals on the ice? Let us introduce you to the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum!

Welcome to the world of drift ice!

Departure to the world of drift ice! Let's go down the fantastic staircase slowly and enjoy the view!
Now let's go to the sea of drift ice!

Enter the colorful world that spreads out beneath the drift ice! Meet the creatures of the Sea of Okhotsk!

What is going on under the drift ice? Live under the ice floes, you can see the dive images of the wide world under the ice! The world under the ice is filmed by a 360-degree camera in a circular motion, giving you the "feeling of actually being under the ice". We will take everyone to the sea under the ice, not to mention the ice floes. Enjoy the colorful sea creatures and the fantastic world of drift ice.
A fantasy world of beautiful sea creatures

The power of the ice floes is so powerful that you will be able to see them in the theater! Drift Ice Fantasy Theater

The Drift Ice Fantasy Theater has a 400-inch screen in front, left and right, and top and bottom screens. Visitors can view the expanse of drift ice as far as the eye can see, on five screens, drift ice, the Okhotsk sky, and sea creatures flying freely through space.
A spectacular view of drift ice close by

Exhibition Learning Space "Drift Ice Mystery Guide

This is the "Drift Ice Mystery Guide" exhibition and learning space. Visitors can learn about the wonders of drift ice and its future. You can enjoy the real drift ice more carefully. Many visitors come during the drift ice season because real drift ice is often not seen even in winter.
A place where you can learn how drift ice is formed

Welcome to the 360-degree panorama of the 3rd floor observation terrace!

From the observation terrace on the third floor, you can see Mt. Tento, Lake Abashiri, Lake Notoroko, Lake Toubutsuko, and Lake Mokotoko. Beyond the Sea of Okhotsk, the Shiretoko mountain range and the mountains of Akan offer magnificent scenery typical of Hokkaido, and in 1938 was designated a national cultural asset and "place of scenic beauty. Tento-zan (Mt. Tento) is 207 meters above sea level, but the spectacular view from the top of the mountain is said to be so beautiful that it makes you feel as if you are in the heavenly capital.

How about trying the very popular "drift ice soft-serve ice cream," available only at the Drift Ice Pavilion, while enjoying the spectacular view? What's more, it is salted caramel flavored with salt from the Sea of Okhotsk, and the blue salt is a natural pigment derived from seaweed. It is sold at Café de Crione on the first floor.

Enjoy the spectacular view of Okhotsk!

An observation terrace with a spectacular view

Only at the Drift Ice Pavilion! Drift Ice Soft Ice Cream with Sea Salt from the Sea of Okhotsk

The exquisite salted caramel flavor is very popular!

Clione, the angel of drift ice, is waiting for you!

The Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum keeps and exhibits strange and rare creatures of the Sea of Okhotsk, including the "clione," known as the angel of drift ice, as well as "sea slugs," "wolf fish," and others. Please take a look at the lovely clione, which is said to be seen only during the drift ice season.

Why not experience the world of drift ice in Abashiri City in the Okhotsk area of Hokkaido?


All photos courtesy of Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum

*All photos are images.
Please visit the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum!
For the official website of Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum, please visit
For the official website of Abashiri City Tourism Association, please visit

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