Asahikawa Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)

Checking in at Asahikawa, a small and beautiful city! Attached is a guide to Asahiyama Zoo

🐧The city tour of Asahikawa starts with a morning penguin walk at Asahiyama Zoo. In the early morning, the Asahiyama Zoo covered in white snow is quiet and serene, and the waddling emperor penguins take a leisurely walk around the park, their adorable appearance causing visitors to lower their voices in constant admiration. ☃️Asahiyama Zoo is the northernmost zoo in Japan, with a history of 50 years. It has penguins, polar bears, box horses, red-crowned cranes, giraffes, etc. The areas are relatively concentrated and can be basically completed in half a day. The scenery is unbeatable after the snow. 📌Zoo tour tips 🎫Ticket: 1000 for adults ⏰Time: 10:30 🚌Transportation: There is a direct bus to the zoo from JR Asahikawa Station, about 40 minutes by car. We stayed at Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa Hotel. There is a free shuttle bus to and from the zoo every day, which is very convenient 🐧Penguin walk 11:00/14:30 twice a day, it is recommended to go to the walkway 15 minutes in advance. The feeding times of other animals are written on the signs in the park, you can pay attention to the set time Winter tour pay attention to keep warm, anti-skid, parents should take care of children. There is a fast food restaurant at the entrance of the zoo, offering simple meals, ramen and so on. 🏨We stayed at Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa Hotel, where there is a city walk guided by a guide every day. Followed the OMO Ranger to explore Asahikawa's 57 alleys and Paris Road in the evening. The former is a food-filled alley where you can eat Asahikawa's three soul foods: soy sauce ramen, grilled new child, and salt-grilled large intestine. The latter Paris Road mainly serves Japanese Western cuisine, which is very stylish! 💡Asahikawa is not big, Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa store is well located, convenient transportation, and it is the tallest building in Asahikawa, with a first-class view. The public space in the store is reasonably divided, the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, there are rich activities every day, and it is extremely fulfilling and comfortable just here. 🍹The hotel has a full-fledged welcome drink, free hot springs, free snow gear care area, reading area, and different content sharing sessions in the evening. You can supplement your knowledge about Asahiyama Zoo here first. 🍧Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa's limited edition seven strawberry ice cream and ramen ice cream are very creative and full of creativity. Don't miss it if you like it~ Asahikawa travel is enough for one day, but two days are more relaxed~😄

The itinerary for this trip to Hokkaido is very reasonable, convenient and time-saving!

1⃣ First stop: Asahiyama Zoo to watch penguins In the morning, head to Asahiyama Zoo. The penguins walk at 11 am, so you need to arrive and buy tickets in advance. Take a 1.5-hour express train from Sapporo Station, and choose the 8 am train. After arriving at Asahikawa Station, immediately go to platform 6 and take the 9:40 bus from Asahikawa Station to Asahiyama Zoo, which takes about 40 minutes and costs 500 yen. After arriving at the zoo, buy tickets and queue up to enter, it is expected to be around 10:30. Then go to the penguin walking route, find a good photo spot, and wait for the penguins to appear. 2⃣ Second stop: Lonely Christmas Tree. After watching the penguins, please be sure to enjoy a bowl of hot ramen near the main exit of the zoo (make sure to choose the main exit). The restaurant is in the park, do not leave the park. Then, prepare to take the bus from the zoo to Asahikawa Station (the bus stop is in front of the main entrance of the zoo). You can check the bus schedule on Google Maps, we chose a bus around 12:10. After arriving at Asahikawa Station, take the Furano Line to Biei Station, which takes about 1 hour. Once you arrive at Biei Station, use Google Maps to search for "クリスマスツリーの木" (I tried English search and it didn't work), and follow the navigation for about 20 minutes to arrive. The scenery along the way is very beautiful, just like what you see in pictures 2 to 5, you can take pictures while walking. It is recommended to arrive at the Christmas tree before 2:30 in the afternoon, because taking pictures may take a lot of time, and it gets dark very early, so you must ensure that there is enough time to return to Biei Station to catch the return train. The train intervals in this small rural area are relatively long, so you need to arrange your itinerary based on the train time on Google Maps (we chose a train around 4 o'clock to return to Asahikawa Station, and then return to Sapporo from Asahikawa). Please pay special attention: all transportation card points need to be checked and confirmed on Google Maps to match your itinerary!

Asahiyama Zoo Outing

#wecreate Asahiyama Zoo is a zoological garden outside of Central Asahikawa City in the middle of Hokkaido. There are many various of animals from all over the world, such as penguins, apes, polar bears and etc. For animal lovers, is worth a trip there. Do remember to check out the timing for feeding of the animals. Managed to watch the zookeeper feeding the penguins. Also check the opening hours of the zoo to avoid disappointment. Admission ticket is 1,000 yen. Take bus number 41, 42 or 47 from Asahikawa Station and takes about 40 minutes which cost 500 yen. #mytripvlog #tripblazers#hokkaidotravel

Xushan Zoo

🌟In winter, Hokkaido is very windy, blowing painfully on the face. The sky is also filled with fluffy snowflakes. Get up early to go to Asahiyama Zoo to see the penguins. They waddle out so cute. There are also furry little raccoons, whose big tails can be used as scarves. Just looking at them makes you feel warm. 🌟Seals or sea lions, I can't tell them apart. They always seem to have a smiling expression, but I can't tell if their eyes are open or closed. Sometimes they swim happily, and sometimes they float quietly on the surface, basking in the sun. They look so relaxed, but I wonder if they're sleeping. I always feel like animals without fur protection must be cold, while animals with fur protection must have cold feet. 🌟In order to get a close look at polar bears, the zoo designed curved glass windows that protrude from the ground. A big brother stuck his head out and took non-stop photos under the bear's butt, which was really funny. But if you want to see brown bears, you still have to go to the Showa Shinzan Bear Ranch, which has 100 purebred Hokkaido brown bears located at the foot of the mountain. The ticket has a picture of a little bear catching fish. The ranch divides the bear areas by age group, and there is food for sale at the entrance. Brown bears are very intelligent, holding onto the iron bars with their paws, their small eyes turning and chattering, especially clever.

Watching penguins walk in the snow, overlooking the romantic Asahikawa after the snow from the tallest building in Asahikawa!

How can the romance of Hokkaido in winter be without the penguin walk in Asahiyama Zoo? Coming to Asahikawa, the first experience is naturally to go to Asahiyama Zoo to watch the penguin walk! The penguins walking slowly and swaying, sometimes rushing into the crowd to gather popularity, sometimes lying on the snow to spread their wings and slide, their cute appearance is lovable. Actually! Asahiyama Zoo is not just about penguin walks, popular animal stars also include polar bears, red pandas, seals, snowy owls, monkeys, Ezo deer, Ezo brown bears, red-crowned cranes, giraffes... Come to Asahiyama Zoo and see the ecology and behavior of animals that can only be seen in winter! It is recommended to set aside 1 day for a deep interactive tour. 🐧❤️Asahiyama Zoo TIPS: Winter opening hours: November 11, 2023-April 7, 2024, 10:30-15:30 Tickets: 1000 yen Transportation: Stay at OMO7 Asahikawa, there is a free bus to Asahiyama Zoo, 20 minutes by car. Penguin walk: Twice a day at 11:00 and 14:40, it is recommended to go to the walkway on both sides 15-30 minutes in advance to occupy a place! Special attention: Because most of the time is outdoors, be sure to keep warm! There is a restaurant at the entrance of the zoo, with simple meals. This time we stayed at OMO7 Asahikawa, which is the tallest building in Asahikawa. You can overlook the cityscape of Asahikawa by taking the sightseeing elevator. Entering the hotel is full of surprises. The birch trunks and various Hokkaido animal dolls that come to face make people feel like they have stepped into the nature of Hokkaido. Many small animals are also wearing cute hats to keep out the cold! ☕OMO Cafe&Bar: Super high ceiling, every angle is beautiful and intriguing, there is a feeling of nowhere to put your eyes!! Staying in the snowy Asahikawa, I recommend coming here for a romantic and beautiful parfait at night! The buffet breakfast is invincible and rich, especially recommended are the tuna wasabi rice and salmon waffles! 📚I like to sit in the book tunnel that looks like a loft, holding a healing book of Hokkaido, which is my Happy Hour on the journey! 💧Every night at 8 o'clock there is a lecture on Asahiyama Zoo in the lobby, and different contents will be talked about with different seasons. The welcome drink faucet at the front desk is too cute, the faucet opening ceremony is full, remember to try the corn-flavored welcome drink🌽 ♨️Hot spring sauna: The hotel's sauna room is very spacious, and the life of soaking in the hot spring after skiing is too comfortable!! Hot spring + sauna + cold bath + rest, you can follow these several procedures to cycle 3-4 groups, completely relax your body and mind! You can come every day from 15:30 to 24:00 and in the morning from 5:00 to 9:00! 🍜OMO Ranger: You can explore the Asahikawa 57 alley full of fireworks together, the three soul foods of Asahikawa: soy sauce ramen, new child roast, salt-grilled large intestine must be tasted! In addition, you can go to Paris Road at night to experience Japanese Western cuisine! 🏂🏻Ski convenience:️ There are many ski guests staying here, so you can see many people polishing and maintaining snowboards in the lobby, and there is information about various surrounding ski resorts next to it.

Checking in at Asahikawa, a small and beautiful city! Attached is a guide to Asahiyama Zoo

🐧The city tour of Asahikawa starts with a morning penguin walk at Asahiyama Zoo. In the early morning, the Asahiyama Zoo covered in white snow is quiet and serene, and the waddling emperor penguins take a leisurely walk around the park, their adorable appearance causing visitors to lower their voices in constant admiration. ☃️Asahiyama Zoo is the northernmost zoo in Japan, with a history of 50 years. It has penguins, polar bears, box horses, red-crowned cranes, giraffes, etc. The areas are relatively concentrated and can be basically completed in half a day. The scenery is unbeatable after the snow. 📌Zoo tour tips 🎫Ticket: 1000 for adults ⏰Time: 10:30 🚌Transportation: There is a direct bus to the zoo from JR Asahikawa Station, about 40 minutes by car. We stayed at Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa Hotel. There is a free shuttle bus to and from the zoo every day, which is very convenient 🐧Penguin walk 11:00/14:30 twice a day, it is recommended to go to the walkway 15 minutes in advance. The feeding times of other animals are written on the signs in the park, you can pay attention to the set time Winter tour pay attention to keep warm, anti-skid, parents should take care of children. There is a fast food restaurant at the entrance of the zoo, offering simple meals, ramen and so on. 🏨We stayed at Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa Hotel, where there is a city walk guided by a guide every day. Followed the OMO Ranger to explore Asahikawa's 57 alleys and Paris Road in the evening. The former is a food-filled alley where you can eat Asahikawa's three soul foods: soy sauce ramen, grilled new child, and salt-grilled large intestine. The latter Paris Road mainly serves Japanese Western cuisine, which is very stylish! 💡Asahikawa is not big, Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa store is well located, convenient transportation, and it is the tallest building in Asahikawa, with a first-class view. The public space in the store is reasonably divided, the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, there are rich activities every day, and it is extremely fulfilling and comfortable just here. 🍹The hotel has a full-fledged welcome drink, free hot springs, free snow gear care area, reading area, and different content sharing sessions in the evening. You can supplement your knowledge about Asahiyama Zoo here first. 🍧Hoshino OMO7 Asahikawa's limited edition seven strawberry ice cream and ramen ice cream are very creative and full of creativity. Don't miss it if you like it~ Asahikawa travel is enough for one day, but two days are more relaxed~😄

Asahikawa, the most low-key city in Hokkaido, don't miss the penguin walk when you travel in winter

Just like traveling to the Kansai region of Japan, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara will choose to play together; the same is true for Hokkaido, Otaru, Sapporo, and Asahikawa are also three different styles of cities that everyone often strings together. Compared with the romance of Otaru and the prosperity of Sapporo, Asahikawa is much more restrained and low-key. Asahikawa, a city with only more than 80 years of history, is the second largest city in Hokkaido after Sapporo, and it is a friendly city with our Harbin city, which is a big hit this winter; the first hotel opened by the Hoshino Group OMO series in Hokkaido is located in Asahikawa, OMO7 Asahikawa. OMO7 Asahikawa is located at 9-chome, 6-jo-dori, Asahikawa City, 950 meters away from JR Asahikawa Station, a 15-minute walk. The hotel looks like the red brick building of Tokyo Station, with a total of 237 guest rooms, ranging from single, double, and even five-person rooms, which can accommodate different types of guests. Walking into the hotel lobby, the birch tree stumps reflect a strong forest style, the rest area and the reading room are all decorated with solid wood, and you feel a sense of comfort that can calm down. The hotel's rooms are also a rare design in Japan, with two beds placed in an L shape, making the double room much more spacious. The elevated bed frame can put the suitcase underneath. The just right desk, even if the girlfriends eat a bowl of instant noodles here, it feels much warmer, as if returning to student times. The breakfast restaurant OMO7 Cafe&Bar on the first floor of the hotel, the breakfast variety is very rich, there are traditional Japanese breakfast, and Western waffles, etc., it is definitely the best supply station for your full day! At OMO7 Asahikawa, OMO Ranger will take you on a city exploration journey themed with food and wine. Starting from the grocery store and cafe near the hotel, the fragrant coffee will make you linger here for a long time; when you are tired, find a small restaurant, eat some local specialties, drink some wine (in Asahikawa, even young women can drink freely, the public security here is very good), on the way back to the hotel, OMO Ranger will also take you into the local supermarket, listen to them explain the local products of Asahikawa, remember to bring your wallet. In Asahikawa, in addition to city walks, Asahiyama Zoo is the first window for many people to learn about Asahikawa, so don't miss it. The hotel offers a free shuttle bus to and from Asahiyama Zoo during the winter season, which is only available for hotel guests. Departure time in the morning: OMO7 Asahikawa departs at 10:00 and arrives at Asahiyama Zoo at 10:30 Return time in the afternoon: Asahiyama Zoo departs at 14:00 → OMO7 Asahikawa arrives at 14:30 Asahiyama Zoo departs at 15:30 → OMO7 Asahikawa arrives at 16:00 Of course, Asahikawa is not limited to these places, Asahidake Daisetsuzan, Blue Pond, Snowflake Museum, Ramen Village... are all places you must not miss on your Asahikawa trip.

Recently, I saw a little embarrassed look at the snow. For the first time, I explored the small town of Asahikawa. The city is not big but the streets and lanes are full of gastronomic atmosphere. With the Gourmet Map of Hoshino, you can find the same package of Lonely Gourmet. Little Asahikawa has cuisines from all over the world, the most famous of which is Ramen Village. Like the public areas of Hoshino OMO 7, you can combine leisure and dining, and the rooms combined with the style are also distinctive. What is most worth mentioning is that a few hundred urban hotels can have a hearty breakfast and a hot soup at night. The price is really high.

Hokkaido | A winter ski/hot spring invitation

Winter, December to February, is the best season for skiing and hot springs♨ in Hokkaido. Landing in Sapporo from 🛬New Chitose Airport, you are invited to a Hokkaido rendezvous. 🗓Recommended itinerary: First route: Skiing⛷ route, centered around Sapporo, soaking in the resort and ski slopes. Sapporo Teine Ski Resort, the closest to Sapporo. Niseko Higashiyama Ski Resort, with excellent snow quality and slopes. Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU Ski Resort has quality powder snow, and the resort itself is also worth exploring, of course, the price is also beautiful. Second route: Hot springs♨ route, Sapporo-Otaru-Noboribetsu. Entering Noboribetsu Hell Valley, you can smell and see the natural sulfur hot springs. Different from domestic ones, the hot springs here are separated by gender, and bathing is done naked. Third route: Snow viewing❄ route, Sapporo-Furano-Biei-Asahikawa. In winter, the trees in Biei sing a lonely song, while the penguins🐧 in Asahikawa perform a joyful symphony. ✈️How to buy discount tickets: Domestic flights can take off or transfer from Shandong. Shandong Airlines to Japan is considered a budget airline, and sometimes round-trip tickets are less than a thousand. 🏨How to choose accommodation: For skiing⛷, stay directly at the ski resort, and you can stock up in advance during major OTA promotions, especially at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU Ski Resort. For hot springs♨, Otaru can be a day trip, and Noboribetsu is recommended for Dai-ichi Takimotokan, a more established hot spring hotel, with tatami rooms, including dinner buffet, room service, and hot springs.

5 things you must know when you come to Asahikawa, Hokkaido!

When it comes to Hokkaido, many people will talk about Otaru. But compared to Otaru, I love another romantic place in Hokkaido full of snow - Asahikawa / First thing: 'About Asahikawa' Asahikawa City is the second largest city in Hokkaido after Sapporo. The east side of Asahikawa City is dominated by Daisetsuzan, and the south side is Biei and Furano, known as tourist attractions. JR lines, roads, highways, etc. are connected in the city, making it a transportation hub. / Second thing: 'Main attractions' 1, Asahiyama Zoo: The most famous and popular place in Asahikawa, the northernmost zoo in Japan. Especially the penguin walk, loved by locals and tourists! 2, Ramen Village: Asahikawa Ramen Village, born in August 1996. Here you can not only experience the ramen culture of Asahikawa, but also taste the local special ramen! 3, Snow Art Museum: The Snow Art Museum is an art museum themed on snow. The exterior of the museum adopts the style of medieval Europe, which is especially like the ice and snow castle in the real version of 'Frozen'. 4, Daisetsuzan National Park: The park covers 2,267 square kilometers, the largest park in Japan, and the highest peak in Hokkaido, 'Asahidake', is part of Daisetsuzan. 5, Daisetsuzan Asahidake: Daisetsuzan 'Asahidake', known as the sky garden, has an altitude of 2291 meters, is the highest peak in Hokkaido, and is located in Daisetsuzan National Park. / Third thing: 'Transportation strategy' 1, Plane: Asahikawa has an airport, and there are flights from Tokyo that can fly directly to Asahikawa. 2, JR: Of course, most people will take the JR to get there. Departing from Sapporo, take the JR for 1 hour and 25 minutes, one-way 5220 yen. 3, Bus: If you want to save money, you can take a high-speed bus near Sapporo Station. The time is 2 and a half hours, and the cost is 2500 yen. / Fourth thing: 'Accommodation and food' 1, Accommodation: The most recommended is of course to choose a hotel near Asahikawa Station, which is more affordable. 2, Food: There are several large shopping malls around Asahikawa Station, and there is a long street where food is gathered. / Fifth thing: 'Play tips' 1, Because it is further north, the temperature is lower than Sapporo and Otaru, and the snow is thicker! 2, Pay attention to the check-in and check-out time of the hotel, most of them are check-in after three in the afternoon and check-out before 10 in the morning. 3, Pay attention to anti-skid, the temperature is lower, the road is more slippery, be careful! 4, It is recommended to get up early, it gets dark early! / Asahikawa is really a city that will surprise you and you will fall in love with when you come! Don't miss it when you come to Hokkaido!

Unforgettable experience at Shirakawago, especially with the snow. Despite it was cold and freezing, the beauty of Shirakawago warm our hearts!

Shirakawago with no snow?

Shirakawagon is a small village in Japan, a few hour's trip from Takayama by bus. The be honest, I was quite disappointed that we did not see snow this round :( Anyways, we still enjoy our trip here. There are a lot of small cafes here to chill!! Everyone here is so friendly, I'll definitely come back again, maybe when there's snow :)

Tanukikoji Shopping Street

#2023travelwish Tanukikoji Shopping Street in Sapporo is the best place to have vibe. After we visited Odori Koen, we went to Tanukikoji which is just 650 meter away from the park. A very lively shopping alley, where tradition meet modern culture. One of the oldest shopping streets in Hokkaido features new and old shops. It is a long shopping street in Sapporo with approximately 200 shops. It is a popular tourist spot and a great place to shop for souvenirs. The street is not too crowded so the overall shopping experience was pleasant. #sapporo #friendstrip #2015 #hokkaido

Hokkaido short trip

Getting There - flight via Peace airline (nice & clean) Attractions - otaru(rent a bicycle 🚲 to round this unique town), Sapporo city Hotels - Hotel Wing International Sapporo Susukino Food & Restaurants - Sapporo Beer Garden bbq (must eat & sauce very tasty) Shopping - Tanukikoji Shopping Street 狸小路商店街 &地下街 #sapporo #hokkaidotravel #japan #bbq #otaru

#bucketlistreboot Tanukikoji Shopping Street Minami three Nishi 1-7 chome, Minami-2-jonishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi 1-7 chome, Hokkaido Impressive location for shopping , dining and massage . Remember to bring along passport for tax rebate . Remember to compare from shop to shop as the promotion and price for the same item many just differed a lot. During winter time, night time it’s bustling. Most of other shopping malls and shops are closed so this shopping street became the place to go. it also sells sundry or daily market items in the street. During day time it’s more quiet till later in afternoon . Must Visit

[The most special ramen noodle restaurant in Hokkaido | Sheraton, which Japanese celebrities like to come to] This is a very special ramen noodle restaurant, but it feels more like a canteen. As for the Sheraton, the first reaction of everyone is a five-star hotel. In Sapporo, Japan, there is a ramen noodle restaurant called Sheraton. In the middle of the civet path 6, the Sheraton is unremarkable outside, very simple, and the store is quite quiet. When you observe the clerk and the diners, you will find that many of them are Japanese, and there are many celebrities on the wall. Visiting photos and signatures, this store is actually not easy! After the seat, the boss gave a menu. It is very simple. There are only 3 kinds of ramen to choose from. I ordered a popular ramen. When the boss came up, I was given the real thing by this store. Surprise, the side dish (onion) is twice as high as the ramen bowl! In Japan for ten days, I have never seen so many side dishes. The meat is made of minced pork, some appetizing bamboo shoots that are crispy and crisp. It is refreshing and very suitable for Chinese. The taste is not as heavy as other ramen noodles. Don't miss this ramen noodle restaurant in Sapporo~ Store name: Sheraton Address: South Korea 6th Chome 3, Central District, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan -2 Okada Price: The most popular ramen is 800 yen