Garinko III Icebreaker
ガリンコ号III IMERU
A sightseeing icebreaker with two giant screw drills at its bow. It leaves Monbetsu Harbor and grinds through drift ice, making it the most iconic experience in Monbetsu.
The Garinko is a unique drill-bow icebreaker sightseeing ship found only in Monbetsu. At its bow, two Archimedes screws, each about 2 meters in diameter, rotate and crush the ice. Ice blocks tumble and shatter along the sides of the ship, a truly spectacular sight. The current vessel, Garinko III “IMERU,” entered service in 2021. Her hull is larger than her predecessor’s, with a spacious deck and a heated indoor cabin.
During the drift ice season, the trip lasts about 1 hour. It departs from the Garinko Pier inside the Ocean Park (Marine Exchange Hall). If you are lucky, you may see seals. In peak drift ice season, book in advance on the official website. Tickets cost several thousand yen. When the ice is not reaching the shore, the ship sails inside the harbor or in nearby waters instead.
The deck is extremely windy, so wear a down jacket, insulated gloves and a hat. The pier is about 5 minutes by car from downtown Monbetsu, and in winter there is a shuttle bus between the airport and the city.
Opening hours
Multiple daily sailings during ice-floe season (check official schedule)
Nearby sights
- Okhotsk Tokkari Center
- Okhotsk Sea Ice Science Center (GIZA)
- Okhotsk Tower
- Kani no Tsume Monument
- Oyama Summit Park & Okhotsk Sky Tower
- Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park
- Taiyo-no-Oka Engaru Park
- Takinoue Park Shibazakura