Kushiro, Japan
釧路市
Kushiro is a town of 167,875 people in Hokkaido, Japan, founded in July 1, 1900.
Why visit Kushiro
Townapedia lists 22 museums and landmarks, 43 parks and trails, 121 places to eat, 24 places to stay and 11 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Mount Iwabokki, 細岡展望台 Kushiro Marsh Hosooka Observatory, Kushiro Art Museum and Coal Mine Exhibition Hall of the closed TAIHEIYŌ TANKŌ.
Weather in Kushiro
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Kushiro
Kushiro (釧路市, Kushiro-shi; Japanese pronunciation: [kɯ̥̈.ɕí.ɾò̞, -ɕì.ɾò̞, -ɕí.ɾó̞.ɕì]) is a city in Kushiro Subprefecture on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. Located along the coast of the North Pacific Ocean, it serves as the subprefecture's capital and it is the most populated city in the eastern part of the island. As of 31 October 2025, the city had an estimated population of 151,833 in 90771 households, and a population density of 111 people per km2. The total area of the city is 1,363.26 km2 (526.36 sq mi).
From the Wikipedia article Kushiro (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Kushiro on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do11
Museums and landmarks22
Coal Mine Exhibition Hall of the closed TAIHEIYŌ TANKŌ
Museum · 4.1 km
16, 釧路市
Th-Tu 10:00-16:00; Dec 28-Jan 03 off
Kushiro Children's Museum Kodomo Yugakukan
Museum · 1.4 km
Higashi Kushiro Shell Mound
Monument and historic site · 3.7 km
Archaeological site in Kushiro, Hokkaido of Japan
Hokuto Site
Monument and historic site · 11.4 km
Archaeological site in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
Exhibition Hall of Hokuto Ruins
Museum · 11.2 km
Tu-Su 10:00-16:00; Nov 16-Apr 15 off
10 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds43
Kushiro-shitsugen National Park
Park · 14.9 km
National park of Japan
釧路アイスアリーナ
Sports field and stadium · 4.4 km
33, 釧路市
31 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes121
Bikkuri Donkey
Restaurant · Burger · 4.3 km
公立大からの距離 1.4㎞(徒歩15分，車4分) 平均予算 1200円 食べログ 3.7
0154－37－8810
00:00-04:00, 10:00-24:00
DOCO
Cafe · たこ焼き · 4.5 km
定休日 不定休 予算1000円 公立大からの距離300（徒歩5分） 食べログ評価 0件 席数/駐車場 カウンター席４席、小上がり席8席/５台
8, 釧路市
11:30-17:00,19:00-24:00
ふく亭
Restaurant · Japanese · 4.3 km
公立大からの距離 1㎞(徒歩12分，車4分) 平均予算4000円 食べログ 3.2
Mo-Th 11:00-15:00,17:00-22:30; Fr,Sa 11:00-15:00,17:00-23:00; Su...
火の車
Restaurant · Ramen · 4.5 km
LO:20:45 予算：750円 定休日：月曜（祝日営業、翌日休み） 公立大からの距離：1.2km（徒歩15分）
1, 釧路町
Tu-Su 11:00-21:00
109 more on the map.
History
The origins of Kushiro Port are said to date back to the mid-17th century, when Matsumae Domain sent trading ships to trade with the Ainu people who lived near the mouth of the Kushiro River. During the Edo period, Kushiro Port was called Kusuri-tomari. Around 1799 Itsukushima Jinja was founded by the Tokugawa shogunate. In 1869 the name of the settlement was changed from "Kusuri" to "Kushiro." In 1897 Yasuda Coal Mine opened. An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Kushiro as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom. On 10 July 1900, with the implementation of the Hokkaido First- and Second-Class Municipalities System, Kushiro Town, Kushiro District, was established.
Kushiro was an important port because it is more reliably ice-free during winter than alternative Russian Far East warm-water ports such as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky or other ports in Hokkaido such as Hakodate, which occasionally freeze for short periods due to the lower salinity of the Sea of Japan. For this reason, Kushiro was considered a valuable target during the Russo-Japanese Wars. Its importance grew during the 1920s with the growth of commercial fishing, for which its reliable freedom from ice reduced costs. Kushiro was accorded city status on August 1, 1922.
From the History section of Kushiro on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay24
Churches and places of worship13
Shopping46
Gas and EV charging20
Schools, colleges and libraries61
Healthcare38
Map of Kushiro
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Kushiro Airport (KUH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 km away.
- Shiranuka 23 km west, about 23 min by car
- Tsurui 31 km north, about 31 min by car
- Shibecha 37 km northeast, about 37 min by car
- Akkeshi 39 km east, about 39 min by car
- Teshikaga 57 km north, about 57 min by car
- Honchō 62 km west, about 1 h by car
- Hamanaka-sakuraminami 62 km east, about 1 h by car
- Kamihonbetsu 65 km west, about 1 h by car
- Toyokoro 69 km west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Ashoro 74 km northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kushiro Art Museum Hokkaido Japan01s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kobunkan Kushiro Hokkaido Japan01bs, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Manabot Nusamai Kushiro Hokkaido Japan02n, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Port, Highten31, CC BY-SA 3.0
- View of Nusamai Rotary from Nusamai Park, Kushiro - Aug 5, 2016, x768, CC BY-SA 2.0
- CAPE KUSHIRO LIGHTHOUSE, Highten31, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kobunkan Kushiro Hokkaido Japan03s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kobunkan Kushiro Hokkaido Japan02o, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Port Hokkaido Japan02s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Art Museum Hokkaido Japan03s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Art Museum Hokkaido Japan02s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Port Hokkaido Japan05s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (46899038165), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (32871597017), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (46899037665), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (32871597867), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (32871595407), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kushiro Ramsar Memorial Center, Neronplex, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (40848928643), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kushiro Port Hokkaido Japan01s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Fisherman's Wharf MOO03s, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (33938191378), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- 爐端燒, 炉端焼, 炉ばた煉瓦, 釧路, 北海道, 日本, Robata Renga, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, くしろし, ほっかいどう, にっぽん, にほん (32871594677), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kushiro Port Hokkaido Japan06s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Fisherman's Wharf EGG01s, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Hokuto dwelling replica, Midori, CC BY 3.0
- Kushirositsugen Hosooka Tenboudai01, 欅 (Keyaki), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hokkaido University of Education Hakodate, ダイッチ, CC BY-SA 3.0
- KushiroIceArena, Ccccclaaaaa, Public domain
- Kushiro Junior College, Asasa198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Moshiriya Chashi 01, Abasaa, Public domain
- Kushiro City General Hospital, Chatama, Public domain
- Kushirositsugen Hosooka Tenboudai, User:欅, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kushiro Fisherman's Wharf MOO01n, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Kushiro Rosai Hospital, Asasa198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- こども遊学館, くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- Kushiro Museum, Beijing de xing at ja.wikipedia, Public domain
- KushiroRedCrossHospital, Asasa198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 鳥取神社, Towacoco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kushiro national college of technology, GenOishi, Public domain
- Hokkaido Kushiro Koryo High School 01, Abasaa, Public domain
- Hokkaido Kushiro Technical High School, Asasa198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bushukan, Asasa198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hokkaido Kushiro Hokuyo High School, Abasaa, Public domain
- Yanagimachi Park, 国土地理院, CC BY 4.0
- ANA-CROWNE-PLAZA.KUSHIRO01, RJD, CC BY 3.0
- Kushiro-Prince-Hotel01, RJD, CC BY 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.