Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Step back in time and explore Japan’s only full-scale prison museum—the Abashiri Prison Museum. This open-air museum preserves and showcases actual buildings from the former Abashiri Prison, including cell blocks, the administration office, and a chapel, all relocated and restored. Set within a vast site in Abashiri, Hokkaido, the museum is home to 8 structures designated as Important Cultural Properties and 6 registered Tangible Cultural Properties, making it a rare and historically valuable destination.

One of the museum’s most remarkable highlights is the Cell Block and Central Guard House, designated as an Important Cultural Property. Five wooden wings radiate outward from a central watchtower, allowing guards to monitor all hallways at once—a unique design from the Meiji period. This is the oldest existing wooden radial prison building in the world, and the only one of its kind still standing in Japan. The complex once housed 226 cells, and some of them are open to visitors, allowing for an immersive, first-hand look into the life of a Meiji-era prisoner.

The museum also features many other captivating buildings, such as the Administration Office, painted in a distinctive pale blue and gray; the Futamigaoka Branch Prison, which was constructed as a self-sustaining facility; and the Chapel, showcasing an elegant blend of Japanese and Western architectural styles. In the on-site theater, a three-screen immersive video recreates the grueling road construction work carried out by inmates—offering a sobering glimpse into their harsh conditions.

No visit is complete without a stop at the Prison Cafeteria, where you can try a recreated meal served to current inmates at Abashiri Prison. You’ll also find a museum shop featuring exclusive merchandise and a local specialty store offering Hokkaido-made souvenirs—making it a memorable and satisfying sightseeing experience for all.