Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey takes me to the old Abashiri Prison where Japan's most notorious criminals were once locked up. From there we follow the coast exploring a bay along the Sea of Okhotsk before heading inland exploring the mysterious forests and lakes of Midori before heading to nearby Kiyosato.
Today's Journey
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Early morning on the shore of Lake Abashiri. |
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Entrance to Abashiri's old prison, where the most notorious of Japan's prisoners went before the new prison was built. |
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Inside one of the main wings of the prison. One fellow is trying to escape. |
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From Abashiri we follow the coast briefly visiting the most charming Genseikaen Station along the railway route between Abashiri and Kushiro on the south coast of the island, the same train line I will be travelling on in a few days. |
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A short walk from the train station takes us through the Koshimizu Nature Reserve over sand dunes to the beach. We have reached the Sea of Okhosk, bound by north eastern Hokkaido, Sakhalin to the north, the Kuril Islands to the east, and the Kamkatcha Peninsula to the north east, all parts of Russia. |
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From the beach we head inland to Midori and to the nearby Sakura Falls on the Shari River. Large fish are jumping up the waterfall. |
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From the waterfall we head upstream along the Attack Cha River to Midori Dam, artificially dammed for the local water supply. |
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View over nearby Lake Mashu, an old volcanic caldera with the cloud covered Mount Kamui being its plug. The tiny island to the right is Kamishu Island. We are at the Uramashu Observatory. |
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Heading back towards Kiyosato near the coast, we stop at Kaminokoike, a cold spring deep in the forest. |
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Exploring the parks at Kiyosato, our base for the next three nights. |
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