Inside Japan's Most BRUTAL Prison

[Music] a thousand kilometers north of Tokyo up here on the sea of okask it feels like visiting another country 250 000 people call this Frozen Frontier home and it can't be easy with the brutal Siberian winds and the Drift Ice covering the sea for several months of the year I mean there's a reason one of Japan's most notorious prisons was built up here on the edge of the world even if you did break out good luck surviving the weather but it's a region I've longed to visit and with just two days to spare it's time to find out what makes this isolated corner of Hokkaido so goddamn spectacular oh [Applause] [Music] good morning guys and welcome back to journey across Japan Frozen Frontiers this morning we're in the remote isolated Frozen Port Town of abashiri so Hokkaido is one of the few preferences that borders all the seeds all the Seas we've got the Pacific Ocean the Sea of Japan and the Sea of okot which is in the north bordering between Japan and Russia and these little shiny tickets are to take us on the Aurora boat that goes out to see Drift Ice in the Silver Cross which I've always wanted to do so the boat is called Aurora because you can actually see the aurora borealis on a good day once every 10 years sweet yeah I'm excited to not see it is today that day you bet it's not you bet it's not well sadly it's the last leg of our epic journey through Northeast tokaido and we're ending things on a nice happy note coming up we go to Japan's most notorious prison where we'll hear the remarkable story of the one man that was able to escape a tale that Rivals even Shawshank Redemption for its Ingenuity we're forced to catch our lunch on a stunning frozen lake admittedly with some mixed success stay in a picturesque wooden cabin complete with a bizarre room that looks like something out of a David Lynch movie but first it's time to sail off into the Frozen Seas of awkwards and smash up some icebergs as we take up our seats inside the auroras somewhat retro cabin I don't think there's enough free seats we're gonna have to sit on the grass over there I did not expect this place to be fully furnished with all the amenities necessary for a good experience kind of confused though I'm not sure why my ticket is at the very back of the bow when everyone else is up here but I guess I'll see you guys in about two hours important to point out it's like eight o'clock in the morning and we had to get up at 6 30 to get here and the man at the desk was like oh Drift Ice no Drift Ice and I was like oh really really glad we got up really early on the last day but it's the last day of the trip how does everybody feel are you sad I'm looking forward to one more action-packed day of filming I was really looking forward to this ice now there's no ice I know I'm sad nice to see you thank you there's no ice don't get back that's the spirit he's always so optimistic even though we've got like weather satellites that were like there's no ice that's like don't give up the ice out here being like wolfness don't give up in the face of Science and so having been warned about the lack of Drift Ice the main reason I traveled a thousand kilometers and the one thing I've been looking forward to all week long we nonetheless cast on as the 491 ton vessel begins its Journey out of sea with the majority of the enthusiastic passengers spilling onto the top deck eager to catch a glimpse of the ice that simply is in there including the ever optimistic natsuki and Pete meanwhile below deck Joey and I tuck into some much needed breakfast so I'm Peter natsky fools go aboard on the top deck to watch the boat cast off we've got wagyu bums yeah so this is using uh basically a bit of bread and inside this wagyu beef from the area around here around average usually it's pork right it is yeah yeah so beef's actually quite rare at least oh really good very different I'd much rather be down here eating this and up on the top there yeah I think Joey and I would be enjoying our breakfast far less if we knew who was at the wheel of the vessel I smile straight ahead no ice I'm king of the world of of Hokkaido I'm going in you know there isn't like actual chunks of ice out in the ocean today but I can't actually see the very top layer of the ocean is there's a very thin layer of ice is it Drift Ice it's it's float ice float ice yeah it's it's not quite drifting it's it's staying in place but it is mediocre yeah it's mid ice with hope starting to fade of seeing the Drift Ice Captain natskin is mutinous crew resort to Desperate Measures and steal some outfits here we are on the ice breaking ship the Aurora uh one small problem no ice no ice oh my God actually they resize yeah right in that bucket over there that's the closest we're gonna use them so do we have to throw it yeah we're gonna make our own Drift Ice oh dear yeah that's lunch good good size bizarrely not long after tossing a small block of ice into the sea an actual real Iceberg suddenly appears as if it was all some sort of summoning ritual but at last the Aurora and its passengers finally have a taste of some action on the high seas oh what a wonderful draft yeah it's very nice bigger than my apartment oh nice yeah captain of the Aurora must really hate Pete because no sooner has he claimed it's like his apartment the boat turns around and prepares to brutally smash its way through the iceberg holy [ __ ] whoa oh [ __ ] oh my God he destroyed that whoa you didn't have to do that to my boy he murdered him what did he ever do to you hey Peter's Room broke out your house oh little size small size no sooner had nasty jokes about the iceberg being like Pete's house I think Captain turn the boat around and went right and just drove straight through it and smashed it in half yeah yeah I know my house is cut in half the rent is cutting off this is a real commentary on the housing situation in Japan let me tell you hahaha so having sailed back to Port through the shattered remnants of Pete's Iceberg we head to Japan's most notorious prison welcome ice prison his way to Spring laughs God that was fun we sailed out into the sea for one hour smashed one piece of ice and came back 200 well spent but we're here now at Japan's most infamous prison this is where the government would send really naughty people to the most following criminal criminals and some people might call them to a place where it was just ridiculous to escape but even if you did Escape here we are in the middle of nowhere the most northern point of Hokkaido almost uh it's not somewhere you wouldn't really want to escape from a tour anyway yeah I feel this is like affectionately known as like the Alcatraz of Japan just because of how difficult it was to escape and also just how brutal they were to the prisoners like it was some of the stories you hear about this prison is horrible and we're gonna hear the story in a minute from Jerry of the the guy that did get out of here yes the only guy who ever escaped from this prison and the ridiculous way he did it the first things left go and take a look two thousand prisoners abashiri prison was built in 1890 during the Meiji era and up to house both criminals and political prisoners who labored under brutal conditions closed in 1984 the prisoners open to the public today offering a rare window into Japan's somewhat secretive prison system and the way of life experienced by the prisoners welcome to the prison usually I give you guys tours of hotel rooms but this is a bit different uh that's all I got this is it it's the whole place you've got a couple of shelves for your belongings which I imagine are very limited unless they're able to like trade cigarettes for things I doubt it and behold the true spectacle the prison toilet imagine there are three to five people per cell in these prisons and that's what you have to share it with so at least it's sealed off that I buy like a door is it that's still bad they're like big just in a room with a toilet it's see-through I mean oh right why why business yes I would expect some privacy [Music] gosh you've locked me in here with him long time stage I wonder who has it worse you or me I guess free from our incarceration it's time to meet some of the inmates what's this your friend why did you tell me wow Solitaire you can find him that's brutal I I really wish I knew this strict regiment that they had to follow because I know in Japanese prisons now there's no talking there's very little socializing and I've heard that you have to like just face a direction for most of the day hmm this looks to be just by this picture quite similar picture uh Sportsman he could be Drew those stuff I don't think so [Music] boy I'm prisoner what's your crime I'm here oh God yeah a family-friendly Channel let's keep despite being a high security prison one man was able to escape abashiri's walls a man who made a complete mockery of Japan's prison system in general having escaped no less than four separate prisons nicknamed the shower Escape King yoshier shiratori is something of a legendary anti-hero and his method of escaping abashiri is nothing short of absolute genius so how did joshia actually get out the soldier the big question yeah so I read up on it and the story is actually insane first of all he was imprisoned in here for 15 months and during that time when they would bring food usually it involved a ball of missile right right because that was cheap and easy and you know it was health benefits right for the prisoners but then Joshua figured out that he used the saltiness of the Miso soup and what he would do is every day he would drip little bits of miso onto both his handcuffs and also onto the bars of the observation Windows of his cell 15 months later he would do that every single day to the point where they corroded and he snapped them both so he snapped his handcuffs off and the bars of the observation window and then during the blackout of World War II you know when they used to turn all the lights off during Air Raids he calculated that day to then did something crazy he broke the bars off and then he dislocated both of his shoulders to fit through the tiny little window to get out and then he crawled out of the sunroof Jesus and then escaped and show me things right for this what if the day before he was due to break out one of the guards was like oh you're sure you look like you need uh new cuffs mate a bit Rusty out there he was like what no no no but we'll just replace those right now he also wore special handcuffs that uh could only be unlocked once every couple of months for him to be a minute and apparently they were so complex it took an hour for the guards to unlock it 50 I mean 15 months in this prison yeah it's a miracle he was even alive I think 15 minutes in one of these cells I'd lose my mind absolutely good God yeah nothing a bit of miso soup can't take care of well having smashed up an iceberg and discovered the secret to escaping prison with a combination of nothing but tenacity and soup it's time to check into tonight's accommodation given it's the last night of our trip I wanted to rent somewhere a little bit extra special for that we've come to firenor the beautiful farming region about three hours south where it's possible to rent an entire home it looks cozy it looks warm it looks amazing uh just we just need to get through the front door first and that is easier said than done apparently [ __ ] please I know what I'm doing I've got almost three million subscribers I can live on a door and they all died out in the cold because they couldn't get the [ __ ] door open [Music] oh okay wait wait wait wait wait wait wait you go over there look oh I've opened the door yeah this is why I have three million subs and he doesn't shut up second door next challenge oh it's warm in here that's good yes that's the the most ominous thing to see at the entrance a massive massive size oh I didn't even realize it was inside but I was like see I see violence during seize arts and animals oh wow look at that wow wow or better cream swing lights a green like a fake grass floor oh astro turf this is great it look nasty good dinner no smoking hey it's good I I also just like to point out the amount of snow that's built on the snow it's uh what's about six foot six foot yeah Jesus a table fit for a poker game later on tonight let's say we've got this massive heater that could hit a skull it's so big over here we have a sitting room but I don't know how to get into it because it's like it's like the bloody avashiri prison we saw earlier oh wow I've always wanted to sit on these chairs I love these yes this guy's gonna break oh well it wasn't built with a 18 kilogram weight up inside it this is quite fun actually it's got springy it's supposed to I don't have bread not breaking [Music] David Lynch films yet this is what is this look at this right here you can sit here and I can do my makeup oh I'm ready for my close-up Mr DeVille no one gets my old movie but this is I think this is like a film set look at this red sofa tell me where is she tell me now she's behind the bike shed okay I'm sorry for everything I've done it again yeah really creepy Place yeah it's very nice it's the wallpaper anyway he thought flowers could look so utterly terrifying um over here hey I found your bed a bed no yours over here you can go to beddy ready in your little tiny leaving horror David Lynch bedroom behind we're going to a much nicer looking bedroom but uh so we've got red beds in this one so romantic perhaps this is where Joey and Pete will spend the night just each room feels like its own sort of unique Little World which makes me wonder what was the third bedroom look like over here we have what's known as the slightly underwhelming Green Room which is where Paul the cameraman will be like later on tonight and over here the final room what the [ __ ] is this this is the bar room why is there a bar up on the second floor would you like something to drink some he certainly does um wow yeah acting level 10. we have everything from Maker's Mark to santori Whiskey to to Kate and I itch in every bottle is empty so uh so yeah sorry he drank all right really cool accommodation though what do you think guys I speak a week even better than the billion dollar real car I'm sorry but yes I hate you yeah this is like party time this costs 400 right which is pretty good for six people the other one costs like 10 times that and he likes this one more and they made ourselves at home in the sprawling accommodation all that's left is to kick back relax and celebrate our final night of the trip together with a light-hearted game of poker I'm all in but are you man enough to call okay friend Noah I'll call you all in well what do you got partner Friedman we pass hole got a full house kings and Aces a full house Kings and Aces pretty strong but can it beat my two pair of Aces and Aces [Music] laughs well it's the final day of our trip and after our previous failed attempt to go ice fishing this morning the gods are looking down upon us a lot more favorably good morning guys and here we are on the beautiful kanayama Lake Clear Blue Skies treacherous conditions getting down to it that's fine it's a lovely day and we're about to finally go ice fishing finally we've watched people do it this entire trip now it's our bloody term and we're gonna go head to head to see who can cash the most fish in teams of two okay oh okay your team yeah that it who do you want [Applause] extensive selection process we head into our cozy ice fishing tent to set up with a rather large incentive given that the only food on the remote lake is what we catch which will then be freshly deep fried in tempura batter but also no fish means no lunch and so unsurprisingly things get very serious very fast fishing after cooking it's tempura style whoa delicious delicious very fresh can you cook oh really oh really maybe we want a sauce on the sauce sauce I got you give me give me yeah yeah I knew that was commented the fishing kicks off and it's not long before team Joey claims the First Catch of the Day there if you could call that a catch given how Bloody tiny it is [Applause] size is normal well done hell yeah first catch baby oh yeah hot off the hills of Joey's first win it's not long before Netsky catches a rather plump looking fish is so heavy come on come on baby come on baby big size oh good job we've caught a fish this big we're celebrating over something this big fun as they continue to dredge up half the riverbed oh my God absolute domination domination why can't I catch a fish uh I think kreba I'm too stupid I think fish thinking same no lunch Peter okay at long last despite the constant trash talking team underwhelming have caught their first and probably last fish who's bigger same [Music] they caught about 15 tiny fish between us and blown an astonishing amount of money this isn't exactly going to be the last supper but nonetheless it's great to end our final meal together eating the disappointingly support pile of crispy tempura battered fish that we've managed to catch ourselves so what was the score with the fish it was our team was 11. yep your team was four no I was filming so we're all one big one big team right we put it all together and fried it at once oh wow mold this good crunch very crunchy fresh batter wow I wish you that's really good this was the same amount of money as going on the boat and seeing no ice I'd argue this was a better experience I've always bit of ice fishing and ice fairy definitely come here a lot more definitely come here very fun time yeah good job good job guys hell yeah well guys that is the end of Journey Across Japan Frozen Frontiers 500 kilometers across this Frozen Wilderness for kaido what an adventure with so much fun thank you for joining us what was your highlight what was your highlight Joey oh I've loved the dog sledding dog that was so fun and like how fast they run through that snow and like the environment stuff so good so fun for me I would say it's probably the tray of the steam train the snow was really cool and going on there was oh he went on it yeah he was what was your highlight oh shits again terrain yeah same as me must have been nice it was all the beer we had on there and P was your highlight nothing better than toasted marshmallows and having an Ice Bar it's my favorite let us know what your highlight was what would you like to try the most on a trip across Hokkaido as always the more behind the scenes content check out the abroad Japan patreon but for now guys that's all we'll see you again next time take it away that's Give Peace [Music] oh my God three two one go [Music] back [Music] give us some award-winning trash taste commentary that's a big [ __ ] boat that is it's great [Music] to him wait we're okay yeah that's a it's not an iceberg okay friend though don't look at me ever again because I said okay friend anyway okay [Music]

Channel: Abroad in Japan

Views: 1,207,027

Keywords: japan, hokkaido, abroad in japan, journey across japan, trash taste

Id: OkpH7sQXBwc

Length: 26min 18sec (1578 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 02 2023