Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Administrative center in Sakhalin Island, Russia
The city sits in the southern part of Sakhalin Island, surrounded by mountains and the Susuya River valley. Wide streets run through the center, where Soviet-era apartment blocks stand alongside older Japanese buildings from the first half of the 20th century.
The settlement began in 1882 under the name Vladimirovka, was renamed Toyohara in 1905 under Japanese control, and received its current name in 1946 after returning to Soviet administration. During the Japanese period, the settlement was developed into the capital of the southern half of the island.
The name means "south Sakhalin" and reminds visitors that this settlement serves as the administrative center of the island's lower half. Restaurants serve regional specialties with seafood, while parks and pedestrian zones in the center act as meeting points for locals.
Anton Chekhov Airport connects the city with major destinations in Russia, South Korea, and Japan. Narrow-gauge railways serve regional connections, while buses cover the city center and surrounding neighborhoods.
The Gorny Vozdukh ski resort starts within city limits and offers 16 trails up to an elevation of 600 meters (about 1970 feet). Some of the older buildings from the Japanese period still carry inscriptions in kanji characters on their facades.
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