Asahikawa
Asahikawa is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.
It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido after Sapporo. It has been a core city since April 1, 2000. The city is currently well known for the Asahiyama Zoo, Asahikawa ramen, and its ski resort. On July 31, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 321,906, with 173,961 households, and a population density of 431 persons per km2. The total area is 747.66 km2 (288.67 sq mi).
Getting to Asahikawa
- 01Asahikawa Airport
- 02Asahikawa
- 03Ticket a bus may be
Worth seeing
- 01Hokkaido Traditional Art Craft Village
- 02Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum
- 03Asahibashi Bridge
- 04Asahiyama Zoo
- 05Arashiyama Pottery Village
Located on a hill overlooking Asahikawa to the north, this neighbourhood has several crafts workshops including pottery, glass craft, wood work, and textile.
Things to do
Asahikawa is the coldest city in Japan, holding Japan's temperature record of -41°C (in 1902). It's not that bad most of the time though, and the good side to cold and snow is that there's some great skiing nearby. Kamui Ski Links (カムイスキーリンクス) (just west of town). The local favorite. You can also do cross-country skiing in some of its parks, including the Tomizawa skiing course at Kamui no Mori Park.
- 01Cycling path to Kamuikotan
This unpaved cycle trail follows an old rail line and tunnels downstream along the right hand side of the Ishikarigawa river as it cuts through the hills.
- 02Cycling path to Higashikagura
Where to eat
Asahikawa is known as one of Japan's gourmet towns, and despite its small size, contains many restaurants of nearly every description. Many restaurants are clustered in the Kaimono Koen (Shopping District Park) area, in front of the JR station. This makes touring a number of restaurants on foot a viable option for a day trip.
- 01Ramen Village
- 02Santōka
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: スミス1919 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.