[Abashiri Prison Museum in Abashiri] Retoro Buildings and Weird Wax Dolls Excite Visitor's Curiosity

Abashiri Prison Museum Tour

The Abashiri Prison is one of prisons built to counter the Russia expanding southward in Hokkaido in the late 1800s (the Meiji Period). A lot of prisoners transfered to develop the Hokkaido and increase the population from Japan mainlands to the Hokkaido. There are all 38 buildings, and 4 buildings among those have been designated as a national important cultural property. By the way, real iwax dolls of prisoners and guards are weird. Those sad expression and device to sometimes work were so amazing it gave me goosebumps. They carry out a free guided tour from April 21 to October 20. Because it has an atmosphere that you do not know if you do not visit here, please visit here. It takes about 2-3 hours to look around carefully on foot. You may be tired, so you had better wear comfortable shoes.

Goverment Building (旧網走監獄庁舎) has been designed as the national important cultural property, and features an interesting compromise between Eastern and Western archtectural design. Light blue is impressive. At the building, documents about the prisoner and the Hokkaido development are displayed, and there are Abashiri Prison Library (網走監獄ライブラリ) and a souvenir shop, too. A movie "Birth of Abashiri Prison and the Mission (網走監獄誕生とその使命)" is shown.

Former Prison Staff Quarters (旧網走刑務所職員官舎) are called "Japanese Style Single Story Row House (看守長屋)". The area of the house is 29.7521 m2, and it is very small. I am suprised at a prison staff with a wife and 2 children that lived at the house.

Temporary Quarters (休泊所) are mobile quarters for developing roads from Abashiri to Sapporo, and the another name is "Mobile Prisons (動く監獄)". A log was used as a pillow, and a prison guard knocked on the log with a hammer at the time of waking up. It looks tough.

Abashiri Prison Futamigaoka Farm (二見ヶ岡刑務支所) was built on a hill in the wesern part of Abashiri city in 1986. Buildings are the oldest wooden prison in the world, and have been designed as the national important cultural property. It achieved a role as an agriculture base. There is a restraunt at the building, and visitors can eat a prison meal "Kangoku-meshi (監獄飯)". It is closed in a winter.

Radial 5-Winged Prison House (五翼放射状平屋舎房) has radial 5 prison and a centaral observation room with a hexagon, guards are easy to watch prisoners. It was an exact copy of a radial prison from Leuven, Belgium. The stylish retro buildins are very cool, and were built in 1945, and used to be the largest wooden prison in those days. Those buildings have been designed as the national important cultural property.

Prayer Hall (教誨堂) features an interesting compromise between Eastern and Western archtectural design, and has the Eastern appearance and Western interior decoration. It was built for prisoner's own salvation in 1912, and has been designed as a national important cultural property. This hall is large, so a lot of prisoners seemed to come to gain freedom of spirit.

Atmosphere of Abashiri Prison Museum Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Abashiri Prison Museum

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations around the Abashiri Prison Museum. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Onsen Ryokan Motoyoshi(温泉旅館もとよし)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Abashiri Kanko Hotel(網走観光ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hokuten-no-Oka Abashiriko Tsuruga Resort(北天の丘 あばしり湖 鶴雅リゾート)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Abashirikoso(ホテル網走湖荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Auberge Kita-no-Dan-Dan(オーベルジュ 北の暖暖)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tento-no-Sato Hotel Honjin Abashiriko(天都の郷 ホテル本陣網走湖)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Pension Wani-no-Ie(ペンション わにの家)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten