Abashiri Prison, Hokkaido, Japan, is the most notorious prison in Japan, to which prisoners were sent 100 years ago. They were the pioneers in construction and development of Hokkaido. Now the prison is renovated into a museum to publicize the history of it. The scription on a monumental tablet in this prison records the contribution to Hokkaido by convicts' labor and the names of prisoners died of starvation and coldness
A wooden bridge, named "Mirror Bridge", greeted you before entering. The name meaned to regard the lake as a mirror to instrospect yourself.
The view is too beautiful for a prison and made me wonder whether I entered the right place. A wooden structure on which “ Teaching Hall” was engraved.
This chilly and shady lodge served as an interim room for prisoners to have a rest, who labored out of the prison. 1200 convicts were engaged in the main road-paving project in 1891. Back then this lodge was called “Mobile Prison”.
All prisoners slept on a big plank. Prison guards would beat the wood in front of their heads to wake them up. Life-size doll are put in position instead of real people, some of which can move and speak when being approached.
Prisoners stringed, being tied before went out. A real man was in the picture.
The building had been served as a prison during 1912 to 1984.
Entering into the prison, cry-out seemed still vivid, as well as the odor of athlete’s foot.
Every cell, included a transparent and independent toilet, occupied 9 square meters, contained three to five prisoners.
The food provided was definitely “healthy food”, containing no edible oil
One-prisoner-only cell, less than 5 square meters, was for delinquents or those who were unfit to live with others. They were isolated from others and could’t catch sight of the outside world.
Sleeping on planks and straw mat in winter in Hokkaido, no one could bear the coldness, even with quilt.
Many prisoners got chilblain and fester. The pain was unbearable. Prison-break pervaded.
Only a fraction succeeded. Those failed would be tortured.
It was said that a prisoner once outran all prison guard but stepped on an iron nail, which penetrated his foot. He kept running for another several kilometers before he was caught. Then he came to realize his error , stopped escaping and wrote a book.
Confinement as punishment. Punishment of repeated delinquents included one-prisoner-only cell, reduction of catering, forced reflection. Life in dark and no-window one-prisoner-only cell was quite difficult.
Bath was allowed once a month, but merely 15minuts. Nothing could be compared with it.
30 minutes, at best, was permitted to visitors of well-behaved prisoners.
You can take a picture pretending a convict as a souvenir.( According to the picture, it takes 300 yen for one picture. ---- annotated by translator)
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