Khasan is an urban-type settlement in the Khasan district of the Primorsky Territory, the center of the Khasan urban settlement. Population - 600 people. (2020). This is the southernmost settlement in the Russian Far East.
Zero Khasan is a freshwater reservoir in the Far East of Russia in
the Primorsky Territory near the border with China. The area of the lake
is only 2.2 square kilometers. It is popular among tourists due to the
lotus blossom. A small natural object gained fame in 1938, when clashes
between the troops of the USSR and the Empire of Japan took place in its
vicinity.
Lake Khasan has an elongated shape and is located
within a mountain range, the banks are covered with deciduous forest,
which makes it difficult to access the water surface. Cyclones and
typhoons often pass in the area of the reservoir, which became one of
the reasons for the formation of the lake, when water accumulated in the
lowland for a long time. In summer, due to showers, the area of Khasan
increases, the lowlands are flooded.
The lake is located in a
temperate climate zone, however, low temperatures are possible in
winter. There is practically no snow, the reservoir is completely
covered with ice in November, at the same time strong winds often blow.
In summer, the temperature rises to 25 degrees, the water warms up
quickly, the swimming season opens early here. The muddy bottom and
pebble beaches create an excellent opportunity for the development of
recreation in the Khasan region.
Khasan amazes with the riches of
the ichthyofauna, shallow water contributes to the restoration of fish
stocks, the symbol of the reservoir is a chebak. In spring and autumn,
there are many waterfowl on the banks of Khasan, including rare species
of ducks and cranes. It is a major transit center during migrations of
many endemic species of the Far East. Lotus blooms in summer, it is one
of the symbols of the Khasansky district and the entire Primorsky
Territory.
The shores of Lake Khasan are rich in vegetation, as
well as rare relic rocks that have been preserved since the last
glaciation. The flora of the Khasan region includes almost 900 species
of plants, rich undergrowth is typical. Most of the mountain slopes are
occupied by oaks and lindens, there are practically no conifers, there
are a lot of flowers growing. Wild boars live in the forests, you can
meet rare Amur tigers.
Among the locals, there is a legend about
the origin of the name of Lake Khasan, associated with the Mongol army.
Nomads in a short time conquered most of the modern Far East, but faced
constant uprisings of local residents who were alien to the oppression
of the Mongol conquerors, they were considered barbarians. During one of
the riots, Khan Hasan Nurul went to suppress it with a large army.
The Mongols suffered a crushing defeat and made their way home
through deserted virgin places where no human foot had yet set foot.
Hassan was reasonably afraid that his exhausted army might be attacked
along the way of retreat and chose such a difficult way to retreat. The
road home seriously increased, and the army, wounded in battle, thinned
out every day - the nomads could not withstand the hardships of the
journey.
One night, the Mongols came to a small lake between the
hills and stopped here for a halt. The wounds of Khan Hasan Nurul became
inflamed, without proper medical care, the commander died, which
horrified his soldiers. In the morning they dug a grave on the bank of
the reservoir and buried the ruler, giving the nameless lake a name in
honor of Khan Hasan. Local residents took care of the grave for a long
time, but now its location is unknown.
A beautiful legend is
widespread, but in neighboring China there is a different version of the
history of the origin of the geographical name. "Khasan" comes from the
Chinese word "haishan", where "hai" is translated as a sea or many, and
"shan" is a mountain. Thus, a lake among the mountains is obtained,
which corresponds to the landscape of the geographical area. With the
arrival of Russian explorers, "Haishan" was transformed into "Khasan".
Lake Khasan went down in history thanks to the military battle in
1938 between the Soviet and Japanese units. The army of the Japanese
Empire invaded the territory of the USSR, but was defeated. In honor of
these events, the Posyetsky district was renamed Khasansky, streets and
numerous memorials appeared in many cities of the Soviet Union, and the
conflict was reflected in cinema and literature.
The territory
near Lake Khasan includes 30 military graves, some of them are located
on the Zaozernaya mountain closest to the reservoir. The most violent
skirmishes between the troops of the USSR and Japan took place on its
slopes, a memorial sign was erected on the top in honor of these
memorable events. The surroundings of Khasan have the status of a
cultural and historical reserve; commemorative events are held here
every year.
The authorities of the Primorsky Territory intend to
create a large historical educational center around Lake Khasan, for
this purpose, the territory is being improved. An observation deck at
the top of the hill was reconstructed on Zaozernaya, flowers are laid at
the monuments in honor of the fallen heroes, and schoolchildren are
taken on excursions. The administration of Primorsky Krai plans to
popularize this place in order to attract tourists.
Khasan is the southernmost city of Russia in the Far East and the end
point of the Trans-Siberian Railway route. A few years ago, the road
connection was closed, but after numerous complaints from local
residents, the sale of train tickets was restored. From the village to
the lake can be reached by taxi or on foot, the route runs along a
picturesque road.
Another option is to drive your own car. The
road from Vladivostok will take no more than three hours, the asphalt is
of medium quality, for this reason some tourists prefer public
transport. Regular buses run between cities, their main disadvantage is
that the route can be canceled at the last moment due to the
unprofitability of the trip.
A visit to Lake Khasan is included
in the program of a two-day tour from Vladivostok. Tourists are taken on
comfortable air-conditioned buses, there is an option to rent SUVs. The
cost of such pleasure ranges from 4-5 thousand rubles, but with the
development of the Khasansky district, local residents plan to organize
free tours to places of military glory with a visit to the lake itself.
The lotus has become a symbol of the Primorsky Territory, and the
period of its flowering is becoming a regional holiday. On Hassan, the
lotus blooms in early August - this is the perfect time to visit the
reservoir. Flowers grow in clusters and form the so-called "lotus
groves", they can be approached by boat. There are not many places where
this beautiful plant grows in Primorye; logistics problems do not stop
numerous tourists.
In winter, there is nothing to do on Hassan -
low temperatures and strong winds repel visitors. The first tourists go
to the lake during the period of bird migration in spring, at the same
time the fishing season opens. On the shores of the reservoir you can
meet lovers of taking beautiful pictures of animals and professional
hunters, lovers of sport fishing and scientists conducting research on
local flora and fauna.
Lake Khasan is located near the borders with China and the DPRK, the
territory has a strict access control, characteristic of the border
zone. Permission to visit should be taken in Vladivostok, otherwise
problems may arise. It is necessary to have an identity document, it is
worth having permits for vehicles, including boats.
The hills of
Lake Hassan are of historical importance for the people of Korea, during
the occupation of the country by Japan, refugees lived here. It is
difficult for tourists from South Korea to get to the shores of the
reservoir; for this, it is necessary to obtain the guarantee of local
residents and apply for a visa. The state program of the Far Eastern
hectare has a positive impact on the development of local tourism, which
led to the emergence of recreation centers.
Hasan is a small town
with less than a thousand people and almost no infrastructure. When
visiting the lake, it is better to take the necessary essentials with
you, the prices in the few local holiday homes are greatly inflated,
which has long been the reason for the slow development of domestic
tourism. Due to changeable weather, it is recommended to bring warm
clothes and hats.
The Khasansky district is rightfully considered the pearl of the
Primorsky Territory, thousands of tourists go to the border zone in
summer to enjoy the local nature. On the sea coast there is a large
marine reserve with a beautiful coastline, next to it is Russia's
largest center for the cultivation of scallops. There are many grottoes
and caves in the Khasan region, sand and pebble spits prevail.
Near Khasan is the National Park "Land of the Leopard". One of the
rarest cats in the world lives here, leading a secretive lifestyle and
almost disappeared. The leopard is not the only pride of the reserve;
lucky visitors can meet the Amur tiger, lynx and forest cat. Special
photo spots allow you to capture rare footage of wild cats in their
natural habitat.
Lake Khasan is not the only body of water where
you can see the lotus bloom at the end of summer. Nearby there is a
reservoir, called Lotus, in August it is impossible to sail on the lake
due to the abundance of vegetation. It is worth noting the so-called
Pigeon Rock - a small area where rare representatives of the local flora
grow. There are many snakes on the cliff, thousands of reptiles gather
in the cave for the winter.
The unique natural landscapes and
biological diversity of the Khasan region create potential for the
development of recreational activities on the shores of the lake, and
historical sites associated with the military conflict between Japan and
the USSR are an additional incentive. In the meantime, due to the status
of the border zone, it is difficult to get to the lake, but the cost of
the road pays off with colorful photographs and relaxing in virgin
nature.
The village is the only Russian
settlement on the border with the DPRK. The famous Khasan Lake and
the Tumannaya (Tumangan) border river are located near the village.
The border between the DPRK and Russia runs along the channel of the
river, but the channel of the Tumannaya changes after the spill
towards Russia, thereby reducing the country's territory and
creating a threat of flooding in the village of Hasan and at the
Peschanaya border outpost. Since the summer of 2003, near the
village, work has been carried out to fill it with rocky soil to
protect it from water pressure.
The distance to the
administrative center, the village of Slavyanka, is 105 km.
The climate of the village is monsoon. The average annual
rainfall reaches 880 mm. Snow falls in early December, melting
within 1-2 weeks. The average annual air temperature is 7 ° C.
The village is often cloudy, foggy and icy.
Hasan railway station with access to North Korea was founded in
1951. The working village of Khasan with a permanent population was
formed in 1959. Both names were obtained from the lake of the same
name, which in 1938 found itself in the center of the
Soviet-Japanese armed conflict.
The status of an urban-type
settlement was obtained in 1983.
Khasan is a
railway station on the line from the Baranovsky station of the Far
Eastern Railway. A daily passenger train runs from the Ussuriisk
station, along the combined track entering the North Korean
territory (in the village of Tumangan). Currently, the line is used
with low intensity - in 2005, only about 10,000 passengers were
transported, usually North Korean workers harvesting timber for
their country in the Far Eastern taiga. The Korean section from
Tumangan to the Rajin port was destroyed in the 1950s.
JSC
"Russian Railways", the railway departments of North and South Korea
are considering the issue of opening traffic on the Trans-Korean
Railway with access to the Trans-Siberian Railway. The project,
worth about $ 250 million, is progressing slowly. A pilot project is
planned for 2006 to start transportation on the 40-kilometer
Hasan-Rason section. In October 2011, a test train passed through
the reconstructed section.