Nice to meet you! Monbetsu Tourist Information Center. Monbetsu City, located in the middle of Okhotsk in Hokkaido, is a wonderful area surrounded by the rich sea and lush nature. Access to Monbetsu City, Hokkaido is easily accessible by direct flight from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (one round trip per day, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes). From Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport to Monbetsu City, it takes about 17 minutes by free airport shuttle bus. You can also use intercity buses from Sapporo and Asahikawa, and route buses from JR Engaru and JR Nayoro. The bus ride takes about 5 hours from Sapporo, about 3 hours from Asahikawa, about 2 hours from Nayoro, and about 1 hour from Engaru. You can also rent a car from the airport or train station and enjoy free travel. The weather and climate of Monbetsu City, Hokkaido, are cold in winter and even more cold in the latter half of winter, when drift ice arrives. In summer, the average temperature is around 25 degrees Celsius, making it a comfortable climate. Monbetsu City, Hokkaido is full of attractions! In this post, we will bring you some of the recommended sightseeing spots. Monbetsu City, Hokkaido is a great spot where you can enjoy drift ice (sea ice) up close! The popular Garinko cruise offers a tour of the Sea of Okhotsk. The sight of an icebreaker crushing drift ice is impressive! We offer attractive plans depending on the time of year, such as fishing cruises in "Garinko II", summer vacation cruises at "Garinko III IMERU", and scallop fishing watching cruises. For fishing on the Garinko, fishing equipment can be rented. Since there is little shaking and the handrail is high, even children can use it with confidence. On the undersea floor of the "Ice Sea Observatory Okhotsk Tower", which is the northernmost underwater observatory in Japan, you can see the magnificent scenery of the Sea of Okhotsk. On the third floor of the tower, you can spend an elegant time at Cafe Campanio on the Sea, a café overlooking the Sea of Okhotsk in 360 degrees. "Okhotsk Sea Ice Museum of Hokkaido GIZA" is a facility where you can experience drift ice throughout the year. There are plenty of exhibits where you can learn about the wonders of drift ice (sea ice) in an easy-to-understand manner, and you can also see Clione, which is called the sea fairy. In the extremely cold experience room of minus 20 degrees Celsius, you can touch the actual drift ice. Next, the "Okhotsk Sky Tower" at the top of Mt. Oyama is an observation tower that stands at an altitude of 334m. You can enjoy a spectacular view of the Sea of Okhotsk, Shiretoko, the Daisetsu mountain range, and drift ice in winter. A popular unique tourist spot is "Crab Claw Statue (object)"! It is a claw object of a snow crab with a height of 12 m, a width of 6 m, and a weight of 7 tons. It was created by Toshi Nagasaki, a sculptor from Tokyo. It is a popular photo spot for tourists who want to take commemorative photos. Next up is the Okhotsk Tokkari Center. It is a valuable facility in Japan that protects and raises seals. It is operated by two facilities: "Seal Land" and "Seal Sea Paradise". The Okhotsk Tokkari Center sheltered four seals in 1987, and now more than 20 seals are bred. (As of July 2023) The feeding experience at "Seal Sea Paradise" is a chance to see cute seals up close! Participation is accepted (numbered tickets are distributed) from 40 minutes before the feeding time. The capacity is 5 people on a first-come, first-served basis each time, but those who do not have a numbered ticket can also visit. Summer vacation and long holidays can be crowded, so if you wish to participate, please come early. Okhotsk Ryuhyo Park, about 15 minutes by car from the center of Monbetsu City, is a vast park with the theme of "a great landscape with a view of drift ice and a great scenery where you can hear the noise of the tide." Admission is free. The park is divided into 4 blocks of A~D, where you can enjoy the playground equipment and nature. The "Okhotsk Lavender Field" in Block A has about 12,000 trees and four varieties of lavender planted. The best time to see them is from late June to late July. In Block C, there is "Makiba no Hiroba Park Golf Course", and the course can be used free of charge at the reception, and equipment can be rented. There are plenty of accommodation facilities in Monbetsu City! Some hotels have hot springs, which can be expected to beautify your skin and heal the fatigue of traveling. Finally, I would like to introduce the exquisite gourmet food of Monbetsu City! In Monbetsu City, you can enjoy fresh seafood and local specialties. The large scallops grown under the drift ice of Okhotsk are thick and rich! Processed products are also perfect as souvenirs. There are also seasonal recommendations, including spring horsehair crab and autumn salmon! "Zuwaigani Kouramori" is a specialty not to be missed! We also recommend seafood dishes and local dishes that use plenty of seafood. Monbetsu City, Hokkaido is a treasure trove of nature and the best spot where you can spend a moment of excitement and healing. In COOL JAPAN VIDEOS, we will continue to tell you about the charm of Monbetsu City. Thank you for your continued support!