Abashiri

Abashiri, July 22-23rd, 2007

Next stop on my itinerary of Hokkaido highlights was Abashiri. It was an easy ride on the sidewalk along the coastal road to the ‘Alcatraz of Japan.’ The self-disciplined traffic in Japan makes me wonder if I’m still in Asia. There is a specially designated sidewalk just for bicycles! Which seems absurd when cars won’t even turn left on red (traffic patterns are reversed) on empty rural roads. Today I was feeling rebellious and rode on the roads shoulder, until a road worker waived me onto the sidewalk.

Abashiri is famous for its inhospitable and desolate weather, which makes it a perfectly bleak place for hardened criminals. And tourists. They have recreated a whole second prison complete with life size models of prisoners and a functioning cafeteria where you can eat prison meals. I spent all day there.

Only fitting after my day at the prison should I be 'locked up' in my tent due to a severe thunderstorm.