Sakhalin Region in 3 Russian words

1. САХАЛИНСКИЙ КРАЕВЕДЧЕСКИЙ МУЗЕЙ (Sakhalin Regional Museum)

The building of the Sakhalin Regional Museum was built between 1935 and 1937, when the southern part of Sakhalin belonged to the Japanese. It is the only example of the Japanese ‘teikan-zukuri’ architectural style in Russia. At that time, it housed the Museum of Ethnography, Zoology and Botany of Southern Sakhalin. The current museum, meanwhile, opened in 1946.

2. ВУЛКАН (Volcano)

Sakhalin Region is a kingdom of volcanoes! There are 68 on the Kuril Islands alone. The tallest is the 2,285-meter Alaid volcano on Atlasov Island. It once inspired Japanese poets, as well as Soviet science fiction writers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky.

3. МАЯК АНИВА (Aniva Lighthouse)

This lighthouse in southeastern Sakhalin was built by the Japanese in 1939. Today, it is abandoned and closed to tourists. However, thrill seekers regularly visit it. The difficult access, strong currents and constant fog around Cape Aniva don't faze them at all.