The Okhotsk is a limited express service operated by JR Hokkaido that runs between Sapporo and Abashiri. The service is named after the northern Sea of Okhotsk that lies between Japan and Russia.
The Okhotsk at Sapporo Station
Two trains normally run in each direction every day, with a full journey of about 5 hours 20 to 25 minutes. Check JR Hokkaido’s date-specific timetable before travel because times, platforms, and formations can change.
All seats are reserved. Passengers using regular tickets need a basic fare ticket plus a reserved-seat limited express ticket. The Japan Rail Pass and eligible JR Hokkaido rail passes cover ordinary reserved seats, but passholders should obtain a seat reservation before boarding. At Sapporo Station, check the departure board and ticket for the platform and boarding position rather than relying on a fixed platform number.
A carriage banner on the Okhotsk
Key Destinations
There are 17 stations on the route of the Okhotsk which runs via the Hakodate Main Line, Soya Main Line, and Sekihoku Main Line.
Sapporo – Iwamizawa – Bibai – Sunagawa – Takikawa – Fukagawa – Asahikawa – Kamikawa – Shirataki – Maruseppu – Engaru – Ikutahara – Rubeshibe – Kitami – Bihoro – Memanbetsu – Abashiri
- Okhotsk #2 does not stop at Sunagawa and Bibai.
The key destinations are listed below with regular one-way adult ordinary reserved-seat fares and representative journey times from Sapporo Station. Times vary by train, and discounted Ekinet products may be cheaper.
Sapporo Station
Sapporo is the biggest city in Hokkaido and its capital. This city has a rich array of shopping, dining, and entertainment facilities as well as historic buildings and museums. Sapporo’s attractions include the 19th century Sapporo Clock Tower (also called Sapporo Tokeidai), the Sapporo Beer Museum and Garden, the Susukino entertainment district, the ropeway that leads to the summit of Mount Moiwa, and Hokkaido University Museum which has exhibits on science, natural history, and the history of the university.
Transfers can be made here to local services on the Hakodate Main Line, Chitose Line and Gakuen-Toshi Line. Sapporo also has limited express services for destinations across Hokkaido and frequent Airport trains for New Chitose Airport, with some Airport services continuing directly to Otaru. For Yoichi, Kutchan and Niseko, passengers normally transfer at Otaru and should check the date-specific timetable.
Iwamizawa Station
The city of Iwamizawa has a number of tourist attractions.
Hokkaido Greenland is a seasonal amusement park with a broad ride lineup, including an 80-meter Ferris wheel and the 1.5-kilometer GO-ON roller coaster. Check the park calendar and same-day ride status before visiting.
Housui Winery has a shop open from 10:00 to 17:00. It is generally open daily from April through December and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from January through March. Visitors can view the winemaking setting and taste or buy wine, but guided tours are not guaranteed.
Iwamizawa Park has a rose garden and a local history and science museum which includes a planetarium.
Log Hotel Maple Lodge is a resort with natural hot spring spa facilities that can be enjoyed by day trippers as well as overnight guests.
Train fare: 2,200 yen
Train time: about 27 to 28 minutes
Bibai Station
Bibai’s main attractions are Arte Piazza Bibai and Alpen SNOWLAND Bibai.
Arte Piazza Bibai is a free sculpture park and museum featuring works by Bibai-born artist Kan Yasuda. It is open from 9:00 to 17:00 Wednesday through Monday. Workshops and events follow published schedules. The Art Space in the former gymnasium is scheduled to remain closed for renovation through 31-Mar-2027, while the other areas are planned to stay open. The site is about 20 minutes by bus or 10 minutes by taxi from Bibai Station.
Alpen SNOWLAND Bibai, the renamed Bibai Snow Land, offers seasonal activities including snow tubing, snow rafting, mini snowmobiles, snowmobile touring, all-terrain vehicles, and children’s snow play. Its 2026-27 season is planned for 10-Dec-2026 to 22-Mar-2027, from 9:00 to 16:15, subject to snow conditions. The operator lists a shuttle from Bibai Station at 300 yen each way without advance reservation. Check the season’s visitor information before travel.
Train fare: 3,060 yen
Train time: about 39 to 40 minutes
Takikawa Station
Takikawa’s main attractions include Takikawa Sky Park, where visitors can book a short glider experience during the flying season, and the natural hot spring baths at Takikawa Fureai-no-sato. The February Takikawa Paper Bag Lantern Festival fills streets near the station with handmade lanterns. The city’s canola fields generally bloom from mid- to late May, with the annual Nanohana Festival timed to the flowering season. Check the relevant operator or event schedule before visiting.
Transfer here to the Nemuro Main Line.
Train fare: 3,700 yen
Train time: about 58 to 59 minutes
Fukagawa Station
The Rumoi Main Line no longer operates. Its final trains ran on 31-Mar-2026, and the remaining Fukagawa-Ishikari-Numata railway section was abolished on 1-Apr-2026. Travelers heading to communities along the former line should check bus connections and other local road transport from Fukagawa.
Train fare: 4,890 yen
Train time: about 1 hour 13 to 14 minutes
Asahikawa Station
Asahikawa is Hokkaido’s second largest city and is a good base for trips into Daisetsuzan National Park or to the lavender fields of Furano. The most popular attraction inside Asahikawa is its zoo, but there are number of other interesting tourist spots that can all be accessed easily from the station area.
Asahikawa Station
Asahiyama Zoo has animals from several continents including Asian tigers, South American penguins, African hippos, and polar bears. The zoo is cleverly constructed to allow visitors safe but close-up views of the animals in habitats that resemble their natural environment. Buses from Asahikawa Station take 40 minutes to reach the zoo while a taxi ride will take about 30 minutes.
The free Otokoyama Sake Brewery Museum presents the company’s brewing history through traditional tools, documents, Ukiyo-e prints, and multilingual video. The shop and tasting area have moved to the adjacent OTOKOYAMA SAKE PARK. Tastings are paid and end before the main facility closes, so check the park’s visitor information before going. The site is about a 20 minute taxi ride from Asahikawa Station.
Kita-no-Arashiyama is an arts district with pottery, glass, dyeing, woodcraft, tea, and cafe businesses. Some studios offer workshops, but hours, experiences, and winter closures vary by business. From the station area, walk to the 1-jo 8-chome stop and take Asahikawa Denkikidou route 3 or 23 to Hokuhou Yasouen Iriguchi. The bus trip takes roughly 20 to 25 minutes; check the operator’s timetable and fare before travel.
Asahikawa Ramen Village is a collection of eight ramen noodle restaurants where visitors can try a variety of ramen types by ordering small bowls at each shop. To reach the Ramen Village take the Sekihoku Line from Asahikawa Station for 10 minutes and get off at Minami-Nagayama Station. The Ramen Village is a 7 minute walk from the station.
Kamui Ski Links and the Asahidake Ski Resort are popular skiing locations near Asahikawa. Close by Asahidake Ski Resort is the hot spring resort of Asahidake Onsen. Ideyugo route 66 runs four daily round trips from Asahikawa Station bus stop 9 to Asahidake via Asahikawa Airport. The published trip takes about 1 hour 50 minutes, and the adult fare becomes 2,300 yen on 1-Sep-2026. Check the timetable before travel because service is infrequent and weather can affect the journey.
Transfer at Asahikawa Station to the Soya Main Line, Sekihoku Main Line, and Furano Line.
Train fare: 5,440 yen
Train time: about 1 hour 35 to 36 minutes
Kamikawa Station
Passengers visiting Sounkyo Onsen can take the Dohoku Bus from the bus stop at Kamikawa Mori-no-Terrace beside JR Kamikawa Station. The trip to Sounkyo takes about 35 minutes. The gorge has hotels and ryokan beneath steep cliffs, with access to waterfalls and the Kurodake Ropeway. Choyo Resort Hotel is a popular hotel in this area that has a range of bathing facilities with saunas, excellent dining facilities, and both Western and Japanese style guest rooms. From Sounkyo Onsen visitors can take a gondola on the Kurodake Ropeway to an observation deck on Mount Kurodake. This area is particularly popular for its fall colors in the autumn season. Check the bus timetable and the ropeway’s operating status before travel.
Train fare: 7,130 yen
Train time: about 2 hours 20 to 24 minutes
Rubeshibe Station
Passengers visiting Onneyu Onsen can take the Onneyu line bus from Rubeshibe Station. The trip to the roadside-station and aquarium area takes about 20 minutes. Oehonke is a luxurious hot spring hotel in this area with source-fed natural spring water and multiple indoor and open-air baths. Nearby attractions include the Northern Daichi Aquarium, which displays freshwater fish from Hokkaido and other regions, and Kitakitsune Farm, where visitors can see Ezo red foxes and Ezo raccoon dogs at close range. Check each attraction’s opening calendar before visiting.
Train fare: 9,550 yen
Train time: about 4 hours 13 to 16 minutes
Bihoro Station
Bihoro Pass is a scenic viewpoint overlooking Lake Kussharo, about 27 kilometers or 30 minutes by car or taxi from Bihoro Station. There is no regular public bus from the station to the pass, so travelers without a car should arrange a taxi or verify whether a seasonal tour or transport service operates on their date.
Abashiri Riverbank Park, also known locally as Aviation Park, is a riverside recreation area with a single preserved T-33A jet trainer. It is not a conventional aviation museum with a collection of helicopters and planes.
Train fare: 10,320 yen
Train time: about 4 hours 55 to 59 minutes
Abashiri Station
Abashiri is a popular winter destination for drift ice, called ryuhyo in Japanese, on the Sea of Okhotsk. The Aurora sightseeing icebreaker normally operates from 20 January to 31 March, with fixed departures that vary by date rather than hourly service. Drift ice is a natural phenomenon and is not guaranteed; the operator says it tends to be most likely from mid-February to early March. Reserve ahead and check the day’s operating and ice conditions before going to the harbor.
Abashiri drift ice sightseeing icebreaker ship Aurora
JR Hokkaido also operates the seasonal Ryuhyo Monogatari sightseeing train between Abashiri and Shiretoko-Shari, with coastal views along the Senmo Main Line. It runs on selected winter dates, normally with two round trips on operating days. Dates, times, fares, and seat rules are announced for each season. The 2026 service was partially reserved, so passengers should check JR Hokkaido’s winter announcement and reserve where appropriate. In addition to these activities Abashiri has some interesting museums.
The Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum is a science museum that has actual drift ice that you can see and touch as well as an observation deck on the roof.
The Abashiri Prison Museum is an outdoor museum preserving and reconstructing prison buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the Meiji era, more than 1,000 prisoners from Abashiri were used in brutal forced labor to build the Central Road linking central Hokkaido with the Okhotsk region, and many died. The museum explains their daily lives and labor, and several buildings are nationally designated Important Cultural Properties.
Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples has exhibits on Hokkaido’s Ainu indigenous culture together with other northern peoples in areas such as northern Europe and Greenland.
Abashiri is also a good base for trips to the Shiretoko Peninsula, either by rail to Shiretoko-Shari Station or by rental car. The peninsula is a designated National Park and famous for its unspoilt natural scenery.
Transfer at Abashiri Station to the Senmo Main Line.
Train fare: 10,870 yen
Train time: about 5 hours 22 to 25 minutes
Timetables
The table below shows the regular August 2026 arrival times for the major destinations. Check JR Hokkaido’s date-specific timetable before travel, as schedules can change. Each train departs Asahikawa a few minutes after the listed arrival time.
| Service | Sapporo | Asahikawa | Abashiri |
| Okhotsk #1 | 6.52 | 8.28 | 12.17 |
| Okhotsk #3 | 15.30 | 17.05 | 20.52 |
| Service | Abashiri | Asahikawa | Sapporo |
| Okhotsk #2 | 6.55 | 10.35 | 12.10 |
| Okhotsk #4 | 14.36 | 18.22 | 20.02 |
A former KiHa 183-series Okhotsk train
About the Okhotsk
The Okhotsk normally uses KiHa 283-series diesel multiple-unit trains with ordinary reserved seating throughout. There is no Green Car or non-reserved seating. The train guide lists luggage space and a multipurpose room, although formations and onboard facilities can change when a substitute train or extra cars are used. All cars are non-smoking.
Useful Information
A timetable and route finder, and a downloadable route map can be found on the official JR Hokkaido English language website.
Article by Michael Lambe. Photos by Michael Lambe, matya1234/pixta (3), marumi/pixta (4). All rights reserved. Last updated 21-Aug-2026.
