• Get around
• See
• Do
• Buy
• Eat
• Drink
• Sleep
• Get out

Asahikawa (旭川) [1] is the second-largest city on the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Asahikawa Airport (AKJ) serves flights to major domestic destinations and to Seoul (South Korea).

[edit] By train

Asahikawa is the terminus of the JR Hakodate Main Line to Sapporo, Otaru and Hakodate.

The Super Kamui limited express service departs from Sapporo to Asahikawa every 30 minutes. The journey takes 80 minutes and costs ¥4480. This is the best way to travel between these two cities by train, as local train service is sparse and can take anywhere from three to five hours of traveling time. As the local train fare is ¥2420, you might want to take the bus unless you are on a Seishun 18 Ticket.

Hourly rapid trains from Sapporo's New Chitose Airport continue as Super Kamui trains to Asahikawa, with no transfer necessary in Sapporo; the journey takes two hours.

Many of JR's Hokkaido lines branch out from Asahikawa: the Soya Line connects to Wakkanai, while the Sekihoku Line connects to Abashiri and the Furano Line goes to skiing hotspot Furano.

[edit] By bus

Chuo Bus Service offers frequent (every 20 minutes or so) bus service from the Sapporo JR Station for ¥2000. It takes just under 2 hours.

There are some bus services to Daisetsuzan National Park.

[edit] Get around

[edit] See

• Ski resort(Kamui Ski Links, Santa Present Park, etc.)
• Asahiyama Zoo (The most famous zoo in japan)
• Asahikawa Winter Festival / Illuminations (February)
• Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum
• Asahibashi Bridge
• Arashiyama Pottery village
• Hokkaido Traditional Art Craft Village
• Romantic Road (Tree tunnel and Churches)
• Asahikawa Furniture Center

[edit] Do

Asahikawa is the coldest city in Japan, holding Japan's temperature record of -41°C. 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 is a local favorite just west of town, and Biei and Furano are each about one hour away. Back-country options include Asahidake and Kurodake.

[edit] Buy

• Asahikawa-furniture (High-class)
• Pottery / Wooden handiwork (Arashiyama area)

[edit] 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.

Asahikawa's ramen noodles are nationally famous, with shoyu (soy sauce) being the flavor of choice.

• Asahikawa Ramen Village (Ramen-mura). Eight of Asahikawa's greatest ramen shops in one combined outlet.

Asahikawa also contains a large variety of ethnic restaurants.

• Confectionery
• Asahikawa mutton barbecue「Genghis Khan」

• You can also enjoy dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, chocolate and ice cream), seafood (especially as sushi), fruits (honeydew melon, strawberries) and meat (sausages, ham, bacon and beef).

[edit] Drink

Asahikawa is famous for its sake, especially Otokoyama (男山, lit. "man mountain"), which is probably Hokkaido's best-known label. Other local sakes include Takasago (高砂) and Taisetsu no Kura (大雪の蔵). Beer fans will wish to look for the local Taisetsu microbrew.

• Chico's Pub, [2]. Foreign beers, pub-grub, local info, and some friendly faces. In summer, outdoor tables are set out so you can enjoy the numerous festivals at their streetside location.

[edit] Sleep

There is a hotel booking service at the railway station.

[edit] Get out