Abashiri Prison Museum - Hokkaido

Abashiri Prison Museum (博物館 網走監獄) is a former penal institution that is now a local museum that features life-size dioramas depicting prison life during the Meiji era. It is located at 1-1 Yobito, Abashiri City in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.

Abashiri Prison Museum

Abashiri Prison Museum details

Abashiri Prison Museum - Abashiri City, Hokkaido Prefecture

The Abashiri Prison Museum is a unique outdoor museum that showcases the history of the original Abashiri Prison. Located in the beautiful area of Abashiri Quasi-National Park, the museum is situated on the side of Mt. Tento, overlooking the picturesque Lake Abashiri. With a site area that is 3.5 times larger than Tokyo Dome, the museum offers a vast space for visitors to explore and learn about the history of this infamous prison.

Abashiri Prison Museum gate

Abashiri Prison Museum (博物館 網走監獄)

Mirror Bridge

Abashiri Prison Museum ticket booth

The relationship between Abashiri Prison and the City of Abashiri dates back to the Meiji era, which spanned from 1868 to 1912. Throughout the years, the prison and the city have maintained a close connection. It was in the 1890s that Abashiri Prison was initially constructed with the purpose of housing over one thousand dangerous criminals. Over time, the prison gained national fame, particularly through a popular yakuza movie series directed by Ishii Teruo in the 1960s.

The Main Gate

In 1984, a major modernization of Abashiri Prison took place, leading to the relocation of the old buildings to the Abashiri Prison Museum. This decision allowed for the preservation of the historical structures and enabled the public to get a glimpse into the prison's past. The museum officially opened its doors in 1985 as an open-air museum, providing visitors with a unique and immersive experience.

Abashiri Prison Administration Building 

The Bathhouse

The Outer Brick Wall

The Prison House and the Central Guard House 

Brick Punishment Chamber

Lecture Hall

One of the main highlights of the Abashiri Prison Museum is its ability to illustrate the daily life of prisoners. Through its exhibits, visitors can gain insight into the routines, challenges, and hardships faced by those incarcerated within the prison walls. The museum showcases more than a dozen buildings and structures of the old prison, including the main prison building with its five radially constructed wings, a law court, a bathhouse, and a punishment chamber.

Nipopo

Prison Floodgates

Additionally, the museum actively engages with the community, conducting daily community-based activities to enhance the overall experience for visitors. By serving as a "universal museum," the Abashiri Prison Museum aims to provide a space where people from all walks of life can come together and learn from the past. Whether it is through guided tours, educational workshops, or interactive exhibitions, the museum strives to create a dynamic learning environment for individuals of all ages.

Official Residence

Miso and Soy Warehouse

Temporary Quarters

The Court House

Penological Museum

Cultivation Warehouse

Penal Farming

Futami Lakeside Shrine

Former Futamigaoka Prison Branch

The Abashiri Prison Museum not only serves as a historical site but also as a reminder of the importance of reflection and understanding. It offers an opportunity to explore the complex and multifaceted history of a place that once held dangerous criminals, and in doing so, encourages visitors to contemplate the broader themes of justice, punishment, and rehabilitation.

Team Nicerio visits the Abashiri Prison Museum

My family and I visited Abashiri Prison Museum for the first time last September 18, 2022, during our September 17 – 19 Road Trip. It was my 321st day in Japan as an ALT under the JET Programme. Of all the places that we visited during this road trip, this is the only one requested by my wife. During our visit, we arrived an hour before closing time. It meant that sadly, we missed visiting some parts of the museum. Regardless, we still got to explore most of the areas of the Abashiri Prison Museum. I highly recommend this place if you are a fan of unique museums as it offers one of the best prison museum experiences in Japan.

Abashiri Prison Museum Fees

To enter Abashiri Prison Museum grounds, visitors must pay an entrance fee.

Adults – 1500 yen
Senior High School Students – 1000 yen
Elementary School Students – 750 yen

Abashiri Prison Museum Operating Hours

Abashiri Prison Museum is open from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Abashiri Prison Museum is open most of the year. It is closed from December 31st to January 1st.

Why visit the Abashiri Prison Museum?

The Abashiri Prison Museum is a significant cultural and historical landmark in the City of Abashiri. Preserving and showcasing the original prison buildings, it provides a window into the past, enabling visitors to delve into the fascinating history of Abashiri Prison and gain a deeper understanding of the impact it had on the community and society as a whole. It’s a great place to visit if you want to learn something new about Hokkaido and Japan in general.

Getting to Abashiri Prison Museum

 

This is the cheapest option to get to Abashiri Prison Museum from Memanbetsu Airport. 

From Memanbetsu Airport, head to the Memenbetsu Airport bus stop. 

Once there, board the Memanbetsu Airport Line of the Abashi Bus. Board down at Tentozan Iriguchi bus stop.

From there, you need to walk for about a kilometer to reach Abashiri Prison Museum.

Travel time: 41 minutes

Fare: 900 yen

This is another option that involves less walking.

From Memanbetsu Airport, head to the Memenbetsu Airport bus stop. 

Once there, board the Memanbetsu Airport Line of the Abashi Bus. Board down at the Abashiri Station bus stop and transfer to the Shinai ka n ko shisetsu meguri Line of the Abashiri Bus.

Board down at Abashiri Prison Museum bus stop.

Travel time: 46 minutes

Fare: 1,330 yen

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