[Omagari Lakeside Park in Abashiri] Good Place to See Cosmos and Sunflower

Omagari Lakeside Park

Omagari Lakeside Park (大曲湖畔園地) is a former farm of Abashiri Prison (網走刑務所) in the northern lakeside of Lake Abashiri (網走湖), and become a tourist farm at present time. Abashiri people and tourists can enjoy experiencing harvest and birdwatching, and here is famous for sunflower and cosmos in a summer and an autumn. As for the sunflower, 1.5 million sunflowers are planted in the field of 18 ha, and are in full bloom in late September. It is lit up early in the evening. I have never seen those, so I want to try and see. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. There are a restroom and the parking lot on the site. The park opens from early May to October.

The distnace is about 5 km away from the center of the Abashiri, and the Lake Abashiri, Abashiri-Kohan Onsen (網走湖畔温泉), Abashiri Prison Museum (博物館網走監獄) and Mt. Tento-san (天都山) are around here. Kanigen (かに源), a popular conveyor belt sushi restraunt, is relatively near here, too. A direct bus does not run between Sapporo or New Chitose Airport and here, but a express bus "Dollymint Okhotsk-go (ドリーミントオホーツク号)" runs between the Sapporo and the Abashiri.

Abashiri Prison Museum

Abashiri Prison Museum (博物館網走監獄) is one of most popular tourist attractions of Abashiri city between Lake Abashiri and Mt. Tento-san. Buildings of former Abashiri prison (旧網走刑務所) were moved to here, and rebuilt on large land of 169,264 m2, and it has been opend since 1983. About 200,000 tourists come to see prisoner's livelihood in the late 1800s (Meiji Period). The prison is well-known for a lot of Japanese movies and novels such as Abashiri Banngai-chi (網走番外地) that Mr. Ken Takakura (高倉健) play the lead using here as a motif. Recently, Golden Kamuy (ゴールデンカムイ), a popular manga, uses here as a motif. Admission fee is JPY 1,080. A parking lot is free of charge. Their website has a voucher, and they discount the admission fee if visitors show it on a smartphone. Article is here

Abashiri-Kohan Onsen

Abashiri-Kohan Onsen (網走湖畔温泉) facing Lake Abashiri (網走湖) is a hot spring resort located in the south side of Abashiri city. Hotel Abashirikoso (ホテル網走湖荘) succeeded in drilling hot springs in 1981, so the Abashiri-Kohan Onsen became well-known to the public and has known as the hot spring resort. 4 onsen accommodations dot for about 3 km along Kitami National Route (北見国道 * National Route 39) in the northeast of the Lake Abahiri. There are Yobitoura Campsite, cafes, restaurants, a variety goods shop and a forest of Yobito Skunk Cabbage Colony along the Kitami National Route. Risu-no-Mori (リスの森), Sobakiri On (そば切り 温) and cafe & cake Fuka (風花) are popular in particular. By the way, there is not a convenience store. Article is here

Conveyor Belt Sushi Kanigen

Kanigen (かに源) is a popular conveyor belt sushi restraunt near Abashiri station. A building is not so large, but it has an unique atmosphere. I visited here to be on time for night opening hours at 16:30 on weekdays. A visitor like regular customer enter the building immediately after my entering. Article is here