Monbetsu

Monbetsu (紋別) is a city in Okhotsk, Hokkaido. It is well known for drift ice.

Understand

Monbetsu Tourist Information Center has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Monbetsu Airport (紋別空港, MBE  ^IATA), Komuke, (17min by bus from/to Monbetsu bus terminal). Nicknamed "Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport". There is regular service from/to Haneda with 1 round trip per day. To match the flght, there is a free shuttle bus service from/to Monbetsu bus terminal and mainly hotels. (updated Oct 2021)

By bus

Highway bus "Ryūhyō Monbetu" runs from/to Sapporo, with 3round trips for direct service and 1round trip Asahikawa indirect service per day. Takes about 4hr 20min and ¥4790 fare.

There are other local bus services from/to Engaru, Okoppe, Nayoro, Yūbetsu and Takinoue.

Get around

By bus

Hokumon Bus operates bus services around the town.

By car

There are some rental cars shops.

• Nippon
• Toyota

See

Okhotsk Sea Ice Museum

• 1 Okhotsk Sea Ice Museum (オホーツク流氷科学センター), 11-6, Moto-Monbetsu, ☏ +81 158 23 5400. 9:00 - 17:00. Features a frozen aquarium of various fish preserved in ice ¥750. 
• 2 Okhotsk Sky Tower (オホーツクタワー), 4 Chome-25-2 Oyamacho, Mombetsu (in the Oyama Park below), ☏ +81158243165. 10:00 - 17:00. It is the world’s only structure from which the sea under drift ice can be observed. ¥200.  

View from Ōyama

• 3 Ōyama Park (大山山頂園), 4-25-2, Ōyama,, ☏ +81 158 24 3165. 10:00 - 21:00 (Apr - Nov), 10:00 - 18:00 (Dec - May). The outlook from the tower on the top of Mt. Ōyama, Sea of ​​Okhotsk and Monbetsu urban area overlooking. ¥200.. 
• 4 Garinko cruise ship (ガリンコ号), 1, Kaiyōkōen,, ☏ +81 158 24 8000. Service period late Jan - early Mar.. The drift ice cruising by icebreaker. 5 - 7 cruises per day. Be to sure book. ¥3000. 

Do

• Monbetsu Drift Ice Festival (もんべつ流氷まつり). early Feb. Ice sculpture of dozens are on display at the marine park and are lit up at night. Free. 

Eat

• 1 Ando Restaurant (レストランあんどう), 5 Chome-1-24 Saiwaicho, ☏ +81 158 248 585. Lunch: 11:30-14:30, Dinner: 17:00-21:00 (closed Tu). You can enjoy Monbetsu beef steaks and hamburgers, as well as seafood. Lunch starts from ¥1000, dinner starts from ¥4000. (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 Masa Sushi (政寿司), 6 Chome-2-8 Saiwaicho, ☏ +81 158 232 695. M, W-Sa 11:30-14:00/17:30-22:00 , Su 11:30-14:00/17:30-21:00 (closed Tu). The menu is varied and there is also a tatami room where you can host banquets. ¥5.000 - ¥6.000. (updated Jul 2023)
• 3 Neef Restaurant (レストラン・ネーフ), 6 Chome-4-10 Honcho, ☏ +81 158 231 705. about ¥5,250. A French restaurant run by a chef that trained in Cologne and Bonn for four and a half years. Lunch 11:30-14:00, Dinner 17:30-21:00. (updated Jul 2023)
• 4 Toankuru Cafe & Restaurant (カフェ＆レストラン とあんくる), 6 Chome-9-22 Minamigaokacho, ☏ +81 158 246 591. 11:00-21:00. A cafe where you can enjoy your meal while looking at the Sea of Okhotsk. (updated Jul 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Okhotsk Palace (ホテルオホーツクパレス), 5-1-35, Saiwai-cho,, ☏ +81 158 26 3600. Stay plus 2 meals for single ¥7350+. 
• 2 Mombetsu Prince Hotel (紋別プリンスホテル), 7-36-26, Honmachi,, ☏ +81 158 23-5411, toll-free: 0120-156-000 (non-geographic number), fax: +81 158 23-6151. (This hotel predates the ubiquitous Prince Hotel chain and has no relations to it.). About ¥9000+ for single in off season. 

Stay Safe

Never step on the drift ice. One slip or one crack can easily be fatal.

Go next

• Okoppe
• Takinoue
• Engaru
• Yūbetsu