Drift Ice Season Begins in Hokkaido

Jan 23, 2026 | News On Japan

HOKKAIDO, Jan 23, 2026 (News On Japan) - Abashiri City in Hokkaido announced the season’s “first day of drift ice” on January 22nd after the ice was confirmed from an observation deck.

A white band stretching across the sea could be seen from Mount Tento’s observatory, marking the arrival of the region’s signature winter drift ice. The city said the drift ice was spotted with the naked eye at 1:20 p.m. on January 22nd.

Until 2025, the Abashiri Local Meteorological Observatory had been responsible for tracking the first appearance of drift ice, but it ended the practice as advances in weather satellites and other technology made the observations less necessary.

From 2026, the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum has taken over the role of monitoring and announcing the first sighting.

A tourist from Taiwan praised the scenery, saying Hokkaido is famous for its views and that it was “wonderful.”

Taguchi Kei, president of the Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum, said the drift ice appeared suddenly and described the moment as “a level of excitement I’ve never felt before.”

Compared with past data recorded by the meteorological observatory through 2025, Abashiri’s first drift ice day this season was in line with the average, and came 24 days earlier than in 2025.

Source: HBCニュース　北海道放送

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