Abashiri Prison Museum

Hours, admission and time needed

The museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the last entry at 4:00 p.m. It closes on December 31 and January 1. Adult admission is about 1,500 yen, high school students pay about 1,000 yen, and elementary and junior high students pay about 750 yen. Groups of 20 or more get 20 percent off, and parking is free. Check the museum's page before you go.

The museum suggests about one hour for a quick visit and about two hours for a careful one.

Getting there

The museum is roughly 4 km from JR Abashiri Station: about 10 minutes by bus, about 7 minutes by car or taxi, or about 40 minutes on foot. Memanbetsu Airport is about 18.5 km away, roughly 20 minutes by car. There is no direct airport bus; buses from the airport go to Abashiri Station, where visitors change to a local bus.

What to know on site

The museum says it is separate from the working Abashiri Prison, which operates elsewhere. The main cell building has five wings fanning out from a central guard post and holds 226 cells. Seismic repair work began on June 24, 2025 on two of the wings, so those cannot be entered, while the other three stay open. Guided tours are not offered; visitors use smartphone VR explanations instead.

Photography is allowed in most areas, but filming for video-sharing sites and live streaming are banned. Pets are not allowed except service dogs, and the whole site is non-smoking. The Prison Canteen serves a recreated prison meal, Set A (saury) for about 1,100 yen or Set B (Atka mackerel) for about 1,200 yen, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.