Abashiri River

Abashiri River is a Class A river in Hokkaido, Japan.

Etymology

The name Abashiri is theorised to come from the Ainu words a-pa-siri or apa-siri.

Around 1,000 years ago, the Okhotsk culture settled the river basin and moved inland. Remains from the Jōmon period have been found on the bottom of Lake Abashiri. Pottery fragments from the Jōmon period have been found in caves in the area.
Flood control projects have been carried out in the basin since 1933.

The basin of the Abashiri River has an area of. Approximately 49,000 people live in the basin area.

The Abashiri River rises in Tsubetsu on the slopes of Mount Ahoro of the Akan Volcanic Complex. The river leaves the mountains and is joined by the Tsubetsu River and Bihoro River before flowing into Lake Abashiri. The river exits the lake and flows into the Sea of Okhotsk at Abashiri.