ASAHIKAWA CITY
So much to explore
So much to explore
Asahikawa is Hokkaido’s second biggest city with a population of 325,000 and it’s just 30 minutes from Kamui.
Downtown Asahikawa has so much to explore with 1200 bars and restaurants to choose from and some of Hokkaido’s best nightlife. Even as the Kamui Resorts builds out and has its own offering, guests will have a greater selection than any resort in Japan, plus loads of choice for authentic cuisine and experiences.
There is excellent shopping that stretches 13 blocks and has the major department stores Seibu, Okuno, Maruiimai, Exc!, Marukatsu, plus a host of smaller chains and shops.
Furarito, a former vegetable market in downtown Asahikawa, has morphed into a late-night drinking and dining alley. Its tight confines, wooden signboards, and hanging lanterns make it feel a product of a forgotten era, but these also imbue the alley with a lively and charming vibe.
A plethora of small restaurants line either side of the walkway, serving various forms of classic Japanese cuisine. You’ll find izakaya (gastro pubs), ramen shops, sushi restaurants, yakitori (grilled chicken) joints, and liquor stores specialising in nihonsu (rice wine, often called sake).
The Asahikawa Snow Festival comes to life early in February and is a large scale winter festival in Hokkaido. It has one of the biggest snow sculptures, as well as one made especially as a stage for music and performances.
Besides the iconic displays, there are several other smaller snow sculptures such as snow slides, snowmobile rides, horse drawn sleigh rides and an ice bar. The festival officially begins and ends with fireworks. There are two sites, the giant snow sculpture located at the riverside Asahi-bashi.
The second site is along the Heiwa Dori pedestrian streets, with around 50 ice sculptures displayed for competition. At night, the ice sculptures are illuminated by lights, looking even more spectacular.
Asahikawa is Japan’s most northern city, it’s an easy 90 minute flight from Tokyo or a 90 minute train ride from Sapporo.
