[Hokkaido departure] Hokkaido drift ice tour 2026 | Hokkaido travel / Hokkaido tour
Special tour to see the Club Tourism ice floes! If you have a tour conductor, we will support you! Information on recommended sightseeing tours to see drift ice, information on drift ice in Hokkaido (Abashiri, Monbetsu, Shiretoko, Rausu, etc.), videos, and drift ice breaking sightseeing boats "Garinko III" and "Orora" are introduced. It's easy to search for and book a tour.
Recommended tours departing from Hokkaido
Where can you see drift ice?
Introducing how to enjoy drift ice
View from the boat
Garinkogo III (Monbetsu)
Drift ice icebreaker Aurora (Abashiri)
Nemuro Strait Cruise (Rausu)
View from the train
Drift Ice Train (Abashiri)
Walking on drift ice
Drift Ice Walk (Shiretoko Utoro
View from the inn
Drift ice trivia
How is drift ice formed?
Drift ice is born near the mouth of the Amur River in Russia, about 1,000 km away from Hokkaido. Blown by the wind and carried by ocean currents, it gradually grows and washes over the coast of Sea of Okhotsk.
So why does the ocean freeze?
Sea of Okhotsk has a double layer structure with lightly salted seawater up to 50m above the surface and heavy, highly salty water below that, so it reaches the freezing temperature of -1.8°C in a short time, which is why drift ice can be seen every year. In the deep Sea of Japan, the seawater takes a long time to convect, so spring arrives before the temperature drops to -1.8°C, and drift ice does not form.
Is drift ice salty?
The salt content of drift ice is around 0.5%, which is less than 1/6 of that of seawater, so drift ice, which is made from frozen seawater, is not as salty as you might think.
When ice crystals stick together and grow, salty seawater that is difficult to freeze is left behind. As the ice crystallizes, its volume increases, so the salt content of the drift ice gradually decreases. There are many "salt holes" in the drift ice, so it is easier to break than normal ice.
Clione - Ice Fairy
(イメージ)
クリオネは、学名である「クリオネ・リマキナ」からこのように呼ばれていますが、日本語では「ハダカカメガイ」と呼ばれています。クリオネは貝殻を持たないカメガイ(カメの甲羅のような貝殻を持った巻貝)の仲間なのでハダカカメガイと呼ばれるのです。
生まれたばかりの赤ちゃんの頃は、他の貝と同じように貝殻を持っているのですが、しばらくすると退化して消えてなくなってしまうそうです。
たまにペットショップなどで売られていますが、飼育は難しいようですよ。
Past drift ice records * Surveyed by the Abashiri Regional Meteorological Observatory and Monbetsu City
[First day of drift ice]
The day drift ice was first spotted at the weather station
| 2022年 | 2023年 | 2024年 | 2025年 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 網走 |
1月24日 |
2月2日 |
1月19日 |
2月15日 |
| 紋別 |
1月20日 |
2月5日 |
1月19日 |
2月1日 |
[First day of docking]
The first day that drift ice came ashore and ships could no longer navigate.
| 2022年 |
2023年 | 2024年 | 2025年 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 網走 |
2月3日 |
2月10日 |
1月22日 |
2月17日 |
| 紋別 |
1月21日 |
2月9日 |
1月22日 |
2月14日 |
FAQ
We will determine whether re-booking is possible during your travel period, and if you are unable to board, we will offer to take you to alternative tourist sites nearby.



















































































