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#ASAHIKAWA

Located in the center of Hokkaido with unique historical background and landform which generates attractive culture and food.

Asahikawa is a center of economy, industry, and culture in northern Hokkaido. It has a famous sightseeing spot “Kamuikotan,” various buildings based on the history of native Ainu people and the woodwork culture. As Asahikawa is located in the center of Hokkaido and thus functions as a logistics hub, various choices of seafood, beef, and vegetables are brought here from all over Hokkaido. Asahikawa is also in a basin surrounded by the system of the Taisetsu-zan Mountain. Its unique landform and rich nature have encouraged this area to develop excellent food culture such as rice and local sake. Including the famous “Asahiyama Zoo” and “Asahikawa Ramen,” the City has deep attractiveness thanks to its unique historical background and landform.

WHERE IS ASAHIKAWA?

Regular flights are available between Asahikawa Airport and Haneda Airport, and between Asahikawa and Chubu Airports. In summer, seasonal flights come from the Osaka Area such as Itami Airport and Kansai International Airport. In 2018, a new terminal for international flights was newly constructed to be ready for accepting inbound visitors. It takes about 30 minutes from Asahikawa Airport to the center of Asahikawa City by taxi, or 35 minutes by scheduled bus service.

747.6 km²
SAME AS Singapore
latitude:ASAHIKAWA 43.77 N
SAME AS Monaco 43.73 N

Asahikawa is one of the first cities to introduce the “Pedestrians' Paradise” in Japan, and Asahikawa Zoo has a unique system that allows visitors to observe the animals from various angles. These facts indicate that Asahikawa has a pioneer spirit. The development of Asahikawa City, which was just a wasteland until about 1912, is backed by the history of “Tondenhei” (colonial soldiers.) Tondenhei worked as soldiers for defending the north area of Japan as well as farmers for developing and cultivating the land. They made efforts to figure out various ways for the development of the City, such as inventing a method that enables cultivation of rice in severe cold weather and inviting the logistics business to the City surrounded by high mountains. Today, we can still see their challenging spirit in the City that brings its attractiveness beyond a sightseeing place.

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KEYWORDS OF ASAHIKAWA

#ASAHI BRIDGE

#PEDESTRIANS’
PARADISE

#WOODWORK

#ASAHIYAMA ZOO

#LOCAL SAKE

#KAMUIKOTAN

#MOUNTAIN
CITY RESORT

#ASAHIKAWA
RAMEN

#TEMPERATURE

#ASAHI BRIDGE

Asahi Bridge is a symbol of Asahikawa that is constructed over the Ishikari River flowing down to the center of the City. Its beautiful form is recognized as one of the “Hokkaido Heritages” and it is also one of the Three Famous Bridges in Hokkaido. Asahi Bridge is the only one among these three bridges that still has its original form since its construction in the early Showa era. You can feel the history of Hokkaido in this bridge.

GoogleMap

#PEDESTRIANS' PARADISE

Asahikawa Heiwa Street Shopping Park, opened on June 1, 1972, is the first permanent road for pedestrians’ paradise in Japan. It not only functions as a commercial central place of Asahikawa, but also is used as a place for various seasonal events, including “World Ice Sculpture Competition” and “Asahikawa Summer Festival.”

#WOODWORK

In the late Meiji era (approximately 1912), the 7th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army put its headquarters in Asahikawa. From that period, many craftsmen for furniture and woodwork moved to Asahikawa from various places on Honshu Island. Their craftsmanship and techniques are passed down to the current technicians and become a basis for Asahikawa’s furniture and woodwork culture. Currently, the woodwork and goods-making culture in Asahikawa has drawn attention from home and abroad due to its superior functionality and design.

旭川市のものづくり

#ASAHIYAMA ZOO

Asahiyama Zoo is an iconic facility in Asahikawa. The Zoo is famous not only for its farthest northern location in Japan but also for its “behavior exhibition” that shows animal activity in as natural a manner as possible. It is a very popular sightseeing spot where many people come from both domestic cities and foreign countries. Particularly, in a walking event of penguins in the winter season, you will see from up close a group of penguins going to the sea for feeding. This is the most popular event in winter.

旭山動物園

#LOCAL SAKE

Asahikawa is also referred to as “North Nada” where ample pure water is supplied from the system of Taisetsu-zan Mountain. Thanks to such an environment, people in Asahikawa have made sake from old times. Three major sake brands in Asahikawa are “Otokoyama,” “Takasago,” and “Taisetsu no Kura,” all of which are widely known. Studios in the City create sake drinking sets using technique of chinaware, cast-metal, glass, and woodwork. You can enjoy local sake with a locally made drinking set that makes it tastier!

#KAMUIKOTAN

Kamuikotan is located at the edge of Asahikawa City and is a famous place for beautiful scenery and autumnal colors in fall. There is a suspension bridge over the rapid stream of the Ishikari River, and a deep forest after passing the bridge. Kamuikotan is a mysterious canyon and means a “Place where the god lives” in Ainu, where you can enjoy the splendid landscape all year round. Kamuikotan is a kind of “Power Spot” where many Ainu folktales are available in its environs, and remains of pit dwellings and a stone circle exist.
　　

GoogleMap

#MOUNTAIN CITY RESORT

It takes several tens of minutes to go to the Asahikawa living sphere from the center of Asahikawa City and Asahikawa Airport. In this area, there are many ski slopes for both high-level skiers and families, including Asahi Dake Mountain (altitude: 2,291 m), the main peak of the Taisetsu-zan Mountain Range, and Kamui Ski Links (altitude: 751 m). You can also enjoy various winter sports specifically in this area, including snowshoes and dogsled. In summer, you can do trekking and cycling. It is a resort place that has ample natural resources and is located near the urban area.

MOUNTAIN CITY RESORT

#ASAHIKAWA RAMEN

Asahikawa Ramen is a local gourmet food and very popular nationwide. Generally, soup of the noodle combines pig bone broth and seafood broth and the noodles are thin, hard, and wavy. More than 150 Ramen shops operate in Asahikawa, each of which provides unique taste and pursues originality. In the past, the image of Asahikawa Ramen was noodles with soy soup. However, more and more shops have started providing noodles with other types of soup, and in some shops, salt and miso (soy bean paste) soups are more popular than soy soup. Every shop is unique and worth visiting.

#TEMPERATURE

The lowest temperature measured in Japan is minus 41.0 degrees C, which was recorded in the Asahikawa Local Meteorological Observatory in Hokkaido on January 25, 1902. Due to its basin landform, Asahikawa is very hot in summer, with the highest temperature in Asahikawa being 36.0 degrees C, recorded on August 7th, 1989. This means that the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures is 77.0 degrees C, which is the largest in Japan according to the official record. This large difference of temperature makes a clear change of seasons.

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CONTACT

HOKKAIDO TO GO PROJECT is managed (lead) by Loftwork Inc. and is commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (FY2018 "Project to Boost Consumption by Spreading the Charms of Hokkaido"). Please contact the following for any inquiries you may have such as reproduction or uses of the articles/photos.

Loftwork Inc.

HOKKAIDO TO GO PROJECT Office
Person in charge: Nihonyanagi
03-5459-5123
togo@loftwork.com