Recommended for such people
・ I want to know what kind of museum it is
・ Reading the manga "Golden Kamuy"
What is the Museum Abashiri Prison?
Abashiri Prison is a facility that used to be a museum of the former Abashiri Prison in Abashiri City. (We call it "prison" to distinguish it from the active Abashiri Prison.)
An important building has been relocated and wax figures have been used to recreate the life of the time.
This time, I will introduce the charm of Abashiri Prison.
History of Abashiri Prison
In order to enjoy Abashiri Prison more, I will explain the history quickly.
Was it a thug who was imprisoned?
When you hear Abashiri Prison, many people think that it is a prison where there are only thugs and it is impossible to jailbreak.
It was decided that the prisoners would be held here for more than 12 years in prison, so it's not a mistake.
However, the year 1890, when Abashiri Prison was established, was a period of political turmoil.
Many political prisoners were in prison, which was inconvenient for the Meiji government, so I don't think they are all thugs.
(The Satsuma and Choshu Domains, which created the Meiji government, would have been treated as political prisoners if they had lost.)
Why did you build a prison in Hokkaido?
There are two main reasons why a prison was built in Abashiri.
Reason XNUMX: The prison was flat
As mentioned above, many political prisoners were held at that time, so prisons all over the country were flooded with people. (People who lost in the Satsuma Rebellion that Saigo Takamori fought)
Since a large prison was needed to eliminate them, Hokkaido, which has a lot of undeveloped land, was chosen.
Reason XNUMX: To protect Hokkaido
At that time, the threat of the Russian Empire was imminent in Hokkaido, and there was an urgent need to develop it.
So it was proposed to use prisoners as a cheap labor force.
Eventually, 1200 prisoners were transferred to Abashiri Prison, and the total length of the road was 724 km. (It's a great distance because it's about 500km between Osaka and Tokyo)
Is jailbreak impossible?
It was said that jailbreak was impossible because Abashiri Prison has state-of-the-art security and the surrounding area is virgin forest.
However, "Yoshie Shiratori", who was called the jailbreak king of the Showa era, succeeds in jailbreak.
This man has manga-like abilities and has escaped from prison four times in his life.
Yoshie Shiratori's ability
・ By dislocating the joints of the whole body, you can go anywhere as long as there is space for your head.
・ With super healthy legs, you can move 1km a day
It's definitely a manga character.
It was the third jailbreak at Abashiri Prison.
He was also wary of the guards, so he was put in handcuffs and prisons that were stronger than usual, but he continued to sprinkle the miso soup that was served in the meal, corroded and destroyed it.
Appeared in the manga "Golden Kamuy"
Abashiri Prison will also appear in the manga "Golden Kamuy" set in Hokkaido.
The prison is also the core of the story, and there is also a character called "Yutake Shiraishi" modeled after the jailbreak king introduced earlier.
(Unlike a real person, it's a pretty sloppy character)
The colored paper of the author, Satoru Noda, is also displayed in the prison, so fans should visit.
As an aside, at the "Manga Exhibition" held at the British Museum in England in 2019, the heroine of Golden Kamuy, "Asiripa-san," was the main visual.
It seems that he was chosen because of his Japanese appearance, but I think that manga characters that can be recognized as Japanese at a glance are valuable.
Highlights of Abashiri Prison
Let's take a look at Abashiri Prison.
Main gate (red brick gate)
It used to be the main gate of Abashiri Prison, which was feared by prisoners, but now it is the entrance to a theme park where families can pass.
House / Central Watch Station
This facility has a multi-tenant room where prisoners are housed.
There are no blind spots in the building, so if a prisoner makes a suspicious move, he or she will know immediately.
There are 226 such multi-tenant rooms.
It's hard to see in the photo, but the lattice windows are diagonally attached so that you can't see the inside from other multi-tenant rooms.
This is to prevent communication between prisoners.
The dining scene is reproduced with wax figures.
In the middle of winter, the room temperature was negative even with heating, so some inmates had a rotten nose.
Yeah.
Bathhouse
It is a bathhouse that is one of the few entertainments for prisoners.
The bathtub was made of concrete and was modern in boiling water in a boiler.
At the top left of the building, there is also a "steam vent" that allows steam to escape.
The prisoners took turns, but only 15 minutes were given from undressing to dressing.
Even so, I could only enter about 1 people a day, so I can take a bath about 200 times a month.
It seems that the prisoner who was released was allowed to enter alone the day before, so the solo bath after a long time would have been exceptional.
Brick single room
Those who violate the rules will be placed in a single cell.
There were no windows and the amount of food was reduced, so even the toughest prisoners were afraid.
It is now treated as a cultural property.
It seems that humans go mad when they are in the dark for three days, but how was it actually?
Futamigaoka Farm
A farm that produces food.
Since they were basically self-sufficient, prisoners ate barley rice (7% barley, 3% white rice) even during the war.
It is said that the reason why he did not take up meals was to prevent rebellion.
Certainly, in the harsh environment of Abashiri, riots are likely to occur if even rice is stolen.
Reproduce the prison food
There is also a dining room where you can eat with the inmates (wax figures).
I'm not happy at all.
The menu is a reproduction of the meal at that time, but it is usually simple and delicious.
(Originally, it looks like bancha, not miso soup. Is it the effect of the jailbreak king using miso soup for jailbreak?)
Let's eat it because it's a big deal.
You can enjoy the same menu at the "Prison Cafeteria" outside the museum.
Kyokaidou
The building was used to invite monks and ministers to assist inmates mentally and ethically.
The building is built with the latest technology of the time and has no pillars inside.
It realizes a large space like a dance hall.
It seems that this building is not the only prison.
Kushiro District Court Abashiri Branch
There is also a court.
Desks, chairs, lights and curtains from that time are on display.
Admission and travel time
Admission is 1100 yen for adults.
I think it will take a total of 2 to 3 hours. (1 hour free tour + 1 hour walk by yourself + 30 minutes meal)
There is a 10% OFF ticket on the official website, so show it when you buy the ticket.
Internet Discount Voucher: Official Website
Access
It takes about 10 minutes by bus from Abashiri Station.
If you go by car or taxi, don't mistake it for an active Abashiri Prison.
The museum is in Abashiriprison.
Bus Information: Abashiri Bus Official Website
Finally
Abashiri Prison is the only facility in Japan where you can experience prisons that you would not normally be able to enter.
(Although there are other facilities that have been renovated from former prisons)
The building is full of Taisho romance and is an important place in the history of Hokkaido.
People who go to the Shiretoko Peninsula should be on the way, so let's visit together.