Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Black Cat Café

кафе «Чёрная кошка»

Dishes out Russian and European meals, in a pleasant atmosphere with jazz music on the stereo.

Building at Sakhalin Street 44

Сахалинская улица, 44

Now empty, this building from the Japanese (Toyahara) era has surprisingly survived intact.

Chekhov International Theatre Center

Сахалинский театральный центр Чехова

Really not that much "international" about it, this theatre is in a rather unusual (for a frontier region) building covered by mosaics in the socialist realism style (1964). The theatre's roots are in the 1930s. It sometimes has musicals and concerts on the repertoire, if sitting through 2 hours of Russian is not your thing.

Chekhov Literary and Art Museum

Городской литературно-художественный музей книги А.П.Чехова

Housed in a 1954 building somewhat reminiscent of Chekhov's house, there are some items from the everyday life of Anton Chekhov and his family, a collection of some of his artworks, and copies of Chekhov's book Sakhalin Island in various languages from all over the world and a facsimile edition from 1895.

Tue—Sat 10:00—18:00·RUB 20

City Mall

Торгово-развлекательный комплекс «Сити Молл»

The mall has a supermarket, many smaller shops, eateries, a cinema, a bowling club, a fitness club and a playground for children.

Closed · opens 10 am

Former Toyohara City Hall

Мэрия города Тойохара

Built in the 1920s, now used as an office building. Next to the building there is a memorial to the Japanese crown prince Hirohito's visit to the city in 1925.

Gagarin Park

Парк им. Ю.А. Гагарина

Scrappy but loved, the Gagarin Park is a nice place for a stroll, supposedly the largest in the far east and something of a leisure center for the local population. The park features athletic facilities, adventure playgrounds, a lake with small boats, a miniature railway, a zoo and a run down amusement park. On the eastern corner of the park there is a trail head leading up the hill for a nice view over the city.

Gorny Vozdukh Ski center

горнолыжный комплекс 'Горный Воздух'

An alpine complex located within Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city proper. It has nine runs (1 black, 5 reds & 3 greens) and three lifts, including a modern 2½ km gondola lift. There is also a bit of English information on the local snowboarding federation's website. If you're not into winter sports, you can still take the cable car to the top for nice views over the city and surroundings.

noon-10PM·From RUB 100 for 1 ride, to RUB 750 for 6 hours or more

Headquarters of Karafuto Guard Units

Резиденция командующего охранными войсками губернаторства Карафуто/Гарнизонный военный суд

The oldest standing building in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, built in 1908 as the residence of the commander of the Japanese forces. The house later hosted a museum of the Japanese period, but has again become a military building. It can be seen from the Dzerzhinsky or Sakhalin street.

Karafuto Conference Centre

Конференц-зал губернаторства Карафуто

Built by the Japanese in the 1930s in the style of post-constructivism. The building hosts a department of the Russian military.

Komsomolets

Культурный центр молодёжи «Комсомолец»

The city's oldest movie theater has one auditorium with 197 seats and a very elegant lobby.

Kristall sports arena

Дворец спорта «Кристалл»

The local ice hockey team PSK Sakhalin plays in the Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH) with Chinese, South Korean and Japanese teams. They play their home games in the Kristall arena, and you can watch their home games for free. Also the local basketball team play their home games here.

ALIH seasons: Sep-Apr

Military Hospital

Городская больница

1930s postconstructivist building that is still used as a military hospital. The military hospital was modern for its time, being equipped with an elevator and a solarium.

Mishka Pub

Located in the basement of the same building as the Rubin hotel, this is a local expat hangout, mainly people from the oil industry. British style pub with the usual range of alcohol and pub food. Staff speaks English.

noon-midnight (weekends till 01:00)

Railway Museum

An open-air exhibition of old locomotives and railway trucks, including Japanese machinery operated on Sakhalin. The tunnel boring machine is also on display. The museum does not really follow the declared schedule, so arrange in advance or glance through the fence.

Mon—Fri 08:30—17:30

Restaurant Shanghai Blues

Ресторан «Шанхай Блюз»

Cozy Chinese restaurant in the north of the city, also some Western food on the menu. Large servings, friendly staff and popular with expats.

Closed · opens noon·mains about RUB 400-800

Restaurant Toyohara

Ресторан «Тоёхара»

Upscale restaurant serving Asian, primarily Japanese, cuisine.

12.00—22.00

Sakhalin Botanical Garden

Сахалинский ботанический сад

This picturesque garden is at the same time an ongoing experiment; scientists are researching how plants from other parts of the world adapt to the climate of Sakhalin.

Visits by appointment

Sakhalin Diving

Сахалин Дайвинг

This PADI dive shop can help with tours to Moneron island, listed in the Sakhalin guide. There is also a diving club on Kommunistichesky Pr 19 ([email protected]/42-26-91)

Sakhalin Regional Art Museum

Сахалинский областной художественный музей

Opened in 1989 in the building of the former Japanese bank "Hokkaido Takushoku" from the 1930s. The three permanent expositions are: "Copies of Ancient Russian Frescos", "Art of Japan", and "Art of Korea".

Tue-Sun 10AM-6PM·RUB 60

Sakhalin Regional Museum

Сахалинский государственный областной краеведческий музей

(pictured) Housed in the former Japanese building dating back to 1937, the museum hosts exhibitions about the island's natural and climatic features, the history of Sakhalin, and a quite good ethnographic collection of the island's indigenous peoples. Don't miss the outdoor exhibition that includes Japanese steles and border stones, the houses of indigenous people, local plants, and old cannons.

Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00 except Tue 11:00-17:00·Foreigners RUB 60

Sakhalin Regional Puppet Theatre

Сахалинский театр кукол

While mostly geared towards children, some of their shows are quite extraordinary, so it might be an option for a rainy day, even if you don't have children. They are quite renowned within Russia and occasionally travel overseas.

Sakhalin Zoo

Сахалинский зооботанический парк

Russian zoos are depressing, and this one founded in 1993 is no exception; though they seem to be genuinely interested in improving conditions, limited funds have thus far prevented any major improvements. They have 145 species up for display, mainly fauna related to Sakhalin such as wolves and brown bears.

10-20:30 daily·RUB 80

Skiing track

Лыжероллерная трасса

In the winter, the track is for cross-country skiing (for a fee), in the summertime a walking and jogging path.

Spartak stadion

Стадион «Спартак»

FC Sakhalin, the local football team, play in the Russian second division. The team has dedicated fans, many of who never miss a home game, and there are great views to the mountains from the station's grandstand.

Stolovaya Sovyetskaya

Столовая «Советская»

A canteen from Soviet times, that was renovated in 2014 and lost some of its original character. There are still Soviet posters on the walls and music from the era is played.

Mon-Fri 11:00-16:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-15:00·RUB 300

Taj Mahal Restaurant

ресторан «Тадж Махал»

Something as odd as an Indian cuisine from a Japanese franchise, which offers the usual popular Indian dishes. To further add to the oddness, it's also the sole outlet of the only Sakhalin guidebook, Sakhalin Unplugged.

Mon-Thu 11:00-23:30, Fri Sat 11:30-00:30, Sun 11:30-22:00

Treasure house of Karafuto Shinto Shrine

Сокровищница главного синтоистского храма губернаторства Карафуто

This little cottage used to be part of the main Shinto shrine of Karafuto. Built in 1911 by the Japanese, war trophies from the Russo-Japanese war were placed here and later on gifts from the emperor like a bronze bell and a golden sword were added to the collection. During Russian times these were moved to local museums or disappeared and the cottage was used as a storage building and a summer house. It is still a summer house, but there is a small treasury and a spring on the premises.

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Mud Volcano

Южно-Сахалинский грязевой вулкан

Located 20 km northwest of the city, this sight consists of several cones within a 15-acre (6 hectares) site of volcanic mud which erupt periodically. In many places you can see fumaroles bubbling through the mud.

Catholic Church of St. James

костёл Святого Иакова

Built in Neo-Gothic style in 2001.