Sakhalin Island had long held a place on my must-visit list. It wasn’t just the allure of its remote, nature-rich location in Russia’s Far East, nor solely the historical intrigue of its southern half once being under Japanese rule as “Karafuto.” Decades ago, on my first visit to Wakkanai, Japan’s northernmost city, I stood gazing across the waves of the La Pérouse Strait and saw Sakhalin with my own eyes. Ever since, it lingered in my traveler’s mind as “the closest neighbor I could visit, but somehow never did.” This is a travelogue chronicles my journey to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin’s capital, in the lingering chill before spring—a trip born from years of anticipation, requiring a bit of resolve to finally undertake.
The distance from Cape Soya in Japan to Cape Crillon, Sakhalin’s southern tip, is a mere 43 kilometers (about 27 miles). To put that in perspective, it’s comparable to the distance between Tokyo Station and Hachioji Station, a stretch a dedicated marathoner could conquer in under three hours. An average person, with enough determination, could likely walk it in a day. Indeed, one theory suggests that the ancestors of the Japanese people walked across a frozen La Pérouse Strait to reach present-day Hokkaido. Despite this proximity, crossing the strait under my own power was out of the question. My passage was secured via a Sakhalin Airlines flight from Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Flying Sakhalin Airlines to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
My departure point was the New Chitose International Terminal, opened about three years prior. Amidst the bustle of flights heading to nearby East Asian cities like Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei, the Sakhalin Airlines check-in counter exuded a distinct atmosphere. The vast majority of passengers had distinctly Russian features, and the predominant language spoken was Russian, a sound rarely heard in my daily life. Japanese travelers, mostly businesspeople, seemed to make up only 10-20% of the passengers. My excitement for the journey inevitably surged. Sakhalin Airlines operates two scheduled flights per week on this route, in addition to a weekly round-trip charter flight for a Russian energy company. Considering Sakhalin’s relatively low profile as a tourist destination, the visa requirement, and the somewhat steep airfare, the volume of traffic was surprisingly high.
Boarding the Boeing 737, I was greeted by smiling Russian flight attendants. Though an international flight, the in-flight service consisted solely of candy and soft drinks—remarkably simple, owing to the short flight time: listed as 1 hour 20 minutes on the schedule, but actually just over an hour in the air. It felt exactly like a domestic Japanese flight. The straight-line distance between Sapporo and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is about 450 kilometers (280 miles); heading south from Sapporo, that’s roughly the distance to just before Sendai.
Onboard, many passengers didn’t even bother to fully settle in, some keeping their winter coats on. Before I knew it, after drifting into a light sleep, we began our descent into Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Time-wise, it felt like I hadn’t traveled far at all, but a glance out the window revealed a starkly different scene: a coastline choked with sea ice and a vast, snow-covered white landscape. This was Sakhalin Island, Russia. The mid-March winter scenery served as a potent reminder that my destination lay far north of Hokkaido, between the 45th and 50th parallels.
Khomutovo Airport: A Different World
Stepping onto the tarmac at Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk’s Khomutovo Airport felt like entering another dimension. It had the air of a small Eastern European nation, yet also retained a palpable sense of the sturdy, practical atmosphere of the Soviet era. Apart from the airline liveries, vibrant colors were scarce in the surrounding landscape. The stark contrast with the bright, bustling New Chitose Airport made me feel as if I’d stumbled into an alternate reality. I’d always thought of airplanes as being close to a magical “Anywhere Door,” but perhaps no route embodies that sensation of “dozing off and waking up in another world” more strongly than this Sapporo-Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk connection.
Khomutovo Airport serves as Sakhalin Airlines’ hub. Various domestic carriers operate scheduled flights from here to Vladivostok and Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East, as well as to the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands (including the disputed Northern Territories). Naturally, carriers like Aeroflot also offer regular flights to Moscow. The terminal building, while solid, isn’t particularly large, and the aircraft are predominantly small to mid-sized. However, its single 3,500-meter runway suggests preparedness for large military aircraft and its occasional use as an emergency refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights between North America and Asia. Practicality and function seemed to be the guiding principles here.
I hailed a taxi outside the terminal. The music playing on the car radio, though contemporary, featured unfamiliar melodies and Russian lyrics. Normally, the first taxi ride in a new country is a prime opportunity for gathering local intel, but this time, there was absolute silence between me and the middle-aged Russian male driver. It wasn’t just his reserved demeanor; he understood neither Japanese nor English, and I spoke no Russian. His intense focus on navigating the completely frozen roads quickly yet safely might have also contributed to his taciturnity. Snow still lay deep in the city, and the sunlight felt weak, characteristic of higher latitudes. Glimpses of daily life through the car window offered some reassurance, yet I couldn’t deny a touch of the melancholy that often accompanies travel to remote frontiers.
Into the Foreign City of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
I checked into my hotel in the city center. Discovering that the hotel staff spoke some English brought an unexpected wave of relief. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve traveled in lands where I didn’t speak the language, but experiencing this situation in a city on an island less than 30 miles from Japanese territory felt like a rare, almost amusingly challenging, adventure. Impressively, Wi-Fi was readily available. Like in many cities worldwide, people in the lobby were glued to their devices, communicating via social media.
Wasting no time, I set out to explore the city. The streets and buildings initially struck me as Eastern European or Russian, with many structures echoing the Soviet style. The avenues felt generally spacious. Roughly 80% of the people I saw appeared to be white Russians, with the remainder looking East Asian. Beyond the architecture and faces, however, I felt an odd sense of familiarity walking around. Puzzled, I soon realized why: over 90% of the cars on the road were Japanese brands. Ah, so my subconscious was picking up on the familiar shapes and sizes! A chance conversation with a local car dealer revealed that used cars are regularly imported by ferry from Hokkaido and elsewhere, and there are even organized tours for individuals to travel to Japan specifically to buy used vehicles. Perhaps the people of Sakhalin, due to their sheer proximity, are among the biggest beneficiaries of the quality of used Japanese cars abroad.
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is the current administrative center of Sakhalin Oblast (province), but for the 40 years following the Russo-Japanese War (1905-1945), it was known as Toyohara. This was the era when Japan governed the portion of Sakhalin south of the 50th parallel as “Karafuto.” The Karafuto Agency was established here, making it the hub for Sakhalin’s development. The city itself was planned and built modeled after Sapporo’s grid system, meaning the blueprint for modern Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was laid down by the Japanese about a century ago. Today, visible remnants of the Japanese era—buildings and structures—are few and far between, easily missed during a casual stroll. However, when pointed out, the precisely gridded, wide streets, the river flowing near the city edge, and the gentle mountain range looming behind do evoke a resemblance to Sapporo’s landscape.
The city center occupies an area roughly 1.5 kilometers square. It’s bordered by Komsomolskaya Street to the mountainous east, Vokzalnaya Street near the railway station to the west, Pobedy Avenue leading south towards the airport, and Sakhalinskaya Street to the north. Cutting through the middle, east to west, is the tree-lined main thoroughfare, Kommunisticheskiy Avenue. Within this zone lie most of the city’s administrative and commercial functions. On a clear day, its compactness makes it possible to visit nearly all major sights on foot. With few buildings exceeding ten stories, the sky feels vast, lending the entire city a calm atmosphere.
Peeking into a supermarket, I found a surprisingly abundant selection of goods. I immediately did a quick price check—acclimating to the local cost of living early on always makes navigating a new place easier. A soft drink cost 45 rubles (about 1.70-6.80). Astonishingly, prices were nearly identical to those in Japan.
Next, I ventured into a restaurant. Mid-range to upscale establishments invariably feature a staffed coat check, requiring everyone to deposit their outerwear before entering the main dining area. There’s a small fee for this service. Whether this is a necessity of the snowy climate or a Russian custom, I couldn’t be sure, but it felt a bit cumbersome for a solo diner looking for a quick meal. Yet, casual cafes weren’t exactly lining the streets either. While these nuances offered a taste of foreign culture, they might present a slight barrier for independent Japanese travelers. Inside, I indulged in Russian cuisine centered on fresh seafood. Dishes like Beef Stroganoff with roasted potatoes and Ukha (fish soup) were hearty and flavorful, showcasing the richness of local ingredients. The food tended to be salty, naturally encouraging the consumption of vodka and beer alongside the meal.
Although sharing a similar latitude with parts of Japan, Sakhalin time is two hours ahead, meaning my first day ended swiftly. My brief city exploration revealed that while people didn’t proactively strike up conversations, they were extremely friendly when approached, even despite the language barrier. They might not have beamed with wide smiles, but their calm, non-hostile expressions and genuine efforts to assist a traveler left a strong impression as I headed back to the hotel.
Lenin Square and the Hokkaido Sakhalin Office
The next day dawned bright and clear. The crisp blue sky was typical of winter weather here, but the humidity wasn’t excessively low. Aside from the near-freezing temperatures (around 0°C or 32°F), it was quite comfortable. Suddenly, I realized my severe hay fever symptoms, which had plagued me back in Tokyo, had completely vanished. Reading materials beforehand, I’d speculated that Sakhalin’s summers could position it as a future escape from the heat for people from mainland Japan. Now, I wondered: if pollen counts continue to rise in Japan, could Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk become a popular “pollen refuge” each spring?
I made my way to the square in front of the Lenin statue, near the railway station. The 9-meter (30-foot) statue possesses an imposing presence. This must have undoubtedly been the city center during the Soviet era. Its continued standing, despite the change in political systems, perhaps signifies respect for Lenin not just as a politician and revolutionary, but also as a thinker. Right next to the square, where diligent snow-clearing was underway, stood one of the city’s few electronic billboards. To eyes accustomed to Japan’s ubiquitous LED lighting and high-definition LCD displays, it looked decidedly retro and rudimentary. I wondered what Lenin would make of it.
To learn more about Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk’s current situation and its ties with Japan, I visited the Hokkaido Sakhalin Representative Office, also located near Lenin Square. According to Chief Representatives Takamitsu Nagasaki and Ryoji Kamei, this is Hokkaido Prefecture’s only directly managed overseas office, established in 2001. Staffed by three Japanese and four Russian employees, the sizable office serves as a hub for strengthening relations, promoting exchanges, and gathering information between Sakhalin Oblast and Hokkaido. They explained that Sakhalin’s economy is vibrant, largely due to the “Sakhalin Project” involving offshore oil and gas development. Living standards reflect this: the average monthly wage for a Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk resident in 2011 was around 40,000 rubles (approx. $1,360), a 193% increase compared to 2006. This helped explain the relatively high prices I’d observed. Even more surprisingly, the unemployment rate stood at a low 0.9%, about one-third of the Russian average and half that of Sakhalin Oblast overall—a stark contrast to Hokkaido’s 5.1% rate at the time. Hearing this reminded me of the large amounts of luggage carried by Sakhalin-bound Russian travelers I saw departing from New Chitose. Active consumerism seemed rampant, with many passengers apparently willing to pay excess baggage fees to bring back large quantities of souvenirs and Japanese daily goods. Mr. Nagasaki and Mr. Kamei noted that Sakhalin residents hold Japanese brands and people in high regard, feeling a certain affinity partly due to the close proximity. The overwhelming presence of Japanese cars on the streets served as further evidence.
Building on this positive relationship, initiatives are underway to develop tourism routes from Hokkaido to Sakhalin. These go beyond just visiting remnants of the Japanese era, encompassing experiences like enjoying Sakhalin’s vast nature, savoring Russian cuisine and seafood, and trying a traditional Russian Banya (sauna). Recent developments adding to the appeal include 24-hour stores with Japanese-level product variety, the opening of large shopping centers, and improvements in the quality of restaurants, including Japanese options. The fact that Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is safe enough for families to walk back to their hotels even at night is another major plus. On the downside, public transportation suitable for tourists is limited, and many roads in rural areas remain underdeveloped. “Infrastructure development is ongoing,” they summarized. While Sakhalin possesses significant tourism resources and high potential, and market development is proceeding, challenges clearly remain. However, with factors like the 72-hour visa-free entry possible via the summer ferry from Wakkanai, the foundation for gradual tourism growth seems to be solidifying. Future developments, coupled with expanded air links, are worth watching.
Currently, besides the Hokkaido Sakhalin Office, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk hosts a Japanese Consulate, a Wakkanai City Sakhalin Office, and branches of Japanese banks, trading companies, and media outlets. Approximately 60 Japanese nationals reside here, and business exchanges beyond tourism are active and reportedly growing.
With a better grasp of Sakhalin’s present, I headed towards the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk railway station (formerly Toyohara Station). From here, railway lines extend south to Korsakov (formerly Otomari), the port town where summer ferries from Wakkanai arrive; north towards Okha near the island’s northern tip; and west to Kholmsk (formerly Maoka), the terminal for the train ferry connecting to the Eurasian mainland across the Tatar Strait (Strait of Mamiya). While the station building itself is relatively new, the tracks and railway systems, largely based on those built during the Japanese era, show signs of aging. Rail transport appears primarily focused on freight. As confirmed by the Hokkaido office staff, passenger service is infrequent, making it difficult for tourists to use easily. Furthermore, outside of summer, heavy snow severely restricts activities at potential destinations. Should I return during the green summer months, I’d love to travel these rails, perhaps all the way to the island’s northern end, or even take the train ferry to the continent.
Sakhalin Regional Museum
Heading east along the main drag, Kommunisticheskiy Avenue, I arrived at the Sakhalin Regional Museum. This building is perhaps the most potent reminder of the Japanese era in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Its distinctive, heavy Japanese architecture, featuring rooflines reminiscent of a Japanese castle, housed the Karafuto Agency Museum back then. Though Japanese in design, its style is unlike anything seen in Japan today, evoking a strong sense of time travel and rarity. The main gate bears the Imperial Seal of Japan (the chrysanthemum crest), and the interior structure and wood-heavy décor offer glimpses into the highest levels of Japanese architectural design and craftsmanship of the time. The museum chronicles Sakhalin’s history from ancient times to the present through artifacts, photographs, and multimedia displays. Crucially, it also showcases items from the Japanese colonial period—exhibits reportedly suppressed during the Soviet era. Particularly striking were the original border markers placed along the 50th parallel separating Japanese and Russian territory, alongside photographs and everyday objects illustrating life in Toyohara and for the pioneers. Gazing at these exhibits, seemingly frozen in time, I contemplated the achievements and hardships of those early settlers, and pondered their subsequent fate. The fact that the post-Soviet Sakhalin government chose to mount this exhibition, dedicating significant space to it, seemed to convey an invisible connection between Japan and Sakhalin, perhaps hinting at a special sentiment held by Sakhalin residents towards the Japanese.
Museum admission was 70 rubles (about 3.40), and videography 150 rubles ($5.10). As I took pictures inside, an elderly woman, presumably a curator doubling as security, would occasionally approach me with a stern expression, asking in Russian, “Photography costs extra. Did you pay?” Showing her my receipt, she’d break into a smile, “Oh, then it’s fine.” This exchange repeated itself several times, proving both slightly tedious and oddly amusing. Perhaps Russians have a particular fondness for such “procedures.”
Besides the Regional Museum, other Japanese-era buildings in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk remain in use today, largely preserving their original form: the former Hokkaido Takushoku Bank Toyohara Branch is now the Sakhalin Regional Art Museum; the former Toyohara Municipal Hospital serves as a military hospital; and the former Toyohara City Park is now Gagarin Park. Khomutovo Airport also traces its roots back to the Japanese-era Osawa Airfield, though few traces of its origins remain visible today.
The Future of Japan-Sakhalin Relations
For many in Japan, the word “Russia” doesn’t exclusively conjure positive images. While Russia has gifted the world countless treasures in art, culture, and natural wonders, the complex history surrounding the end of World War II, subsequent Soviet relations, and periods of political and economic turmoil make it difficult for many Japanese to unequivocally call Russia a “friend.” A significant part of this hesitation likely stems from a long-standing lack of mutual knowledge and opportunities for understanding. Experiencing firsthand the mere 43-kilometer gap between Wakkanai and Sakhalin, and the short one-hour flight, drove home the reality that Russia is, indeed, Japan’s neighbor.
At the national level, numerous issues remain unresolved between Japan and Russia, including the Northern Territories dispute. Resolving these may take considerable time. Nevertheless, the fact remains: Russia is Japan’s neighbor, and the people of Sakhalin are our neighbors. A key challenge might be that many Japanese people lack this sense of neighborly awareness. Whether through economic exchange, tourism development, or student exchanges, moving beyond the framework of Sakhalin simply being “the former Japanese territory of Southern Karafuto” and embracing it as a modern neighbor could foster new trust and relationships. No one can ignore the neighbors who share the same “Far East.”
Earlier, I mentioned my impression of the ethnic makeup of the people on the streets. As I walked more, I noticed many individuals with features suggesting mixed Russian and Asian heritage (half or quarter), as well as numerous couples comprising white and Asian partners. The generations born after the Japanese era are now reaching the third and fourth generations. It’s important to remember that Sakhalin continues to evolve in this respect as well.
A Note on Photography
Be aware that photography by general tourists is restricted in some areas in Russia without prior permission. While strictly applying to government and military facilities, I found that taking pictures was often discouraged even inside most commercial establishments and buildings (the aforementioned Regional Museum, with its set photo fees, being an exception). When stopped, it wasn’t usually by police or guards demanding deletion of images or confiscation of equipment; more often, staff would simply indicate disapproval and walk away disinterestedly. The same applied in the open-air “Free Market” and on some main streets. Furthermore, many individuals strongly object to being photographed (some reacting angrily). When I asked a clerk at a department store camera shop why, he replied, “We don’t really know why, it’s just always been forbidden. But Sakhalin people buy cameras here when they go traveling.” One theory suggests this is a lingering “negative legacy” from the Soviet era, when strict media control and practices like citizen informing were common, now inherited as custom. Indeed, thinking back, the only person who had smiled for my camera during my stay was an old man selling fish on the street. Readers planning independent trips to Sakhalin should exercise considerable caution. Note that interiors of railway stations, trains, tracks, airport terminals, aprons, and aircraft are generally considered military facilities, and photography/videography is prohibited in principle.
Return to Sapporo via Sakhalin Airlines
My return flight to New Chitose on Sakhalin Airlines was remarkably efficient. Both check-in and immigration procedures were not just smooth, but highly streamlined, and the flight departed right on time. Having braced myself for some chaos in the small international section of the terminal upon arrival, this efficiency felt almost anticlimactic. Once again, many Russians were heading towards Hokkaido or other destinations in Japan—business travelers, families with children, couples, all looking cheerful. Settling into my window seat, I reflected on the stimulating past few days in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Gazing down at the vast expanse of sea ice, the plane quickly entered the clouds. Startled, I realized I’d carelessly dozed off again. We were already descending towards New Chitose. Touchdown.
Suddenly, I was back in the New Chitose Airport terminal. My mobile phone instantly connected, emails flooding in. The surroundings blazed with LED lights, and convenience stores overflowed with unbelievably colorful products. It was hard to believe that just over an hour ago, I was in a Russian city where neither Japanese nor English was commonly understood. Sakhalin Airlines truly felt like an “Anywhere Door.”
If the essence of travel lies in viscerally experiencing the different ways of other lands, then Sakhalin, offering such an experience just an hour away, is a highly recommended destination. Even if its tourism resources are still developing, the insight gained from realizing that the “Far East” isn’t solely Japanese, and that “neighbors” have long resided just across the water, holds immense value.
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