All Reviews of Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing Icebreaker Ship "Aurora"

If you want to see a northern landscape of ice and snow but don’t want to travel all the way to Russia, Abashiri in Hokkaido is the place to go. The Sea of Okhotsk, near the Arctic, offers polar ocean scenery much like neighboring Russia. Icebreakers are an essential means of transportation, but while Russian icebreakers are usually important military vessels in the Arctic Circle, in Abashiri you can see icebreakers used for sightseeing. It’s not easy to see such a unique form of transportation amid a landscape of ice and snow. If you’re interested in ships and want to take a boat ride in the north, consider visiting Abashiri, Hokkaido.

When visiting Abashiri, Hokkaido, you definitely shouldn't miss the winter-only drift ice experience! I boarded the Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing Icebreaker Ship "Aurora" and headed toward the silvery-white world of the Sea of Okhotsk, hoping to see the winter drift ice with my own eyes.

Before we left, everyone kept telling me, "There definitely won't be any ice this time!" After all, seeing drift ice really depends on luck. Whether you encounter a vast expanse of it is entirely up to the weather and sea conditions. Unexpectedly, I was extremely lucky this time and actually saw a huge expanse of ice! Seeing all that white drift ice floating on the surface of the sea was still incredibly striking. I was completely satisfied just to see scenery like this.

In the cold sea breeze, looking out over the endless silvery-white sea of ice really captured the unique charm of winter in Hokkaido.

And since they had beer on the ship... of course I had to have one〜 Drinking beer while standing in the cold wind and watching the drift ice also felt very Hokkaido!

I was really lucky to encounter so much ice on this trip. Sometimes travel is just like that—the weather, season, and luck all have to line up perfectly for you to see the scenery you've been looking forward to most.

The sound of the icebreaker ramming through the ice is weirdly soothing—and kind of thrilling.

Watching the drift ice float in toward the deck was absolutely breathtaking.