Asahikawa, Hokkaido
Local Guide
7 Asahikawa sightseeing spots you can enjoy without getting wet on a rainy day.

Asahikawa has a number of Properties that are worth seeing even on days when the weather suddenly breaks. Getting in touch with the vast wilderness is one of the best parts of a trip to Hokkaido, but here are some recommended sightseeing spots where you can enjoy Asahikawa's attractions indoors as well.

A showroom with warmth of wood where you can touch Asahikawa furniture.

Asahikawa Design Center, where more than 30 companies from around Asahikawa have permanent exhibits and host special exhibitions twice a year
Asahikawa Design Center, where more than 30 companies from around Asahikawa have permanent exhibits and host special exhibitions twice a year

Surrounded by the majestic Daisetsuzan mountain range, including Mt. Asahidake, Asahikawa is known for its abundance of lumber. Furniture manufacturing has been taking advantage of these resources for more than 100 years. Asahikawa furniture is known worldwide for its high-quality wood and high design quality. The Asahikawa Design Center is home to booths of more than 30 manufacturers from the Asahikawa area. The center holds a variety of special exhibitions twice a year, with the theme of enriching people's lives through wooden furniture.

Touch the refined design and the warmth of wood.

The world of wooden furniture is introduced at the biannual special exhibitions, and the appeal of each manufacturer is conveyed at company booths.
The world of wooden furniture is introduced at the biannual special exhibitions, and the appeal of each manufacturer is conveyed at company booths.

After experiencing how closely wood is connected to our daily lives, visitors can visit the booths of individual companies. The unique and sophisticated designs of the furniture are displayed in a large space, and they are all excellent pieces of furniture that will make you wish you had furniture like this in your living room at home. Visitors can look forward to encountering designs that highlight the craftsmanship of artisans who are well versed in the softness of wood. Of course, you can also purchase the furniture on display, so it is a good idea to look for furniture that you like.

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The museum's interior, which ranges from futuristic designs to gentle and traditional ones. Through the warmth of wood, you can feel the traditional culture of Japan.

Asahikawa Design Center
  • Address 10-1-35, Nagayama 2-jo 10-chome, Asahikawa, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction Approximately 19 minutes from JR Asahikawa Station by car.
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Asahikawa Station, get off at Nagayama 2-jo 10-chome, and walk about 1 minute.
  • Hours of Operation 10:00-17:00
  • Closed DaysTuesdays (except holidays), year-end and New Year's holidays
  • Admission Fee Free of charge
  • TEL 0166-48-4135
  • Parking Free of charge

Encounters with Science Beginning with Mystery" that people of all ages can enjoy to the fullest

A large planetarium that reproduces the starry sky seen in Asahikawa
A large planetarium that reproduces the starry sky seen in Asahikawa

The indoor area is divided into four zones: permanent exhibition room, laboratory, observatory, and planetarium. Among them, the domed planetarium on the first floor is the most impressive. The projector made by Carl Zeiss, which has an established reputation for the beauty of its starry sky, projects a star-filled sky over the entire dome, making it one of the largest planetariums in Hokkaido. It is designed with universal design in mind so that anyone can experience it, and the constellations visible according to the season are introduced. The permanent exhibition is also divided into Earth, Space, and Northern Japan sections, with explanations that even small children can understand, and facilities for scientific experience.

Not only experience the romantic universe, but also acquire scientific knowledge

The oldest public observatory with a telescope for astronomical observations, where sunspot observations have continued
The oldest public observatory with a telescope for astronomical observations, where sunspot observations have continued

Once you have enjoyed the indoor Property, visit the observatory on the rooftop. The 65cm reflector telescope is the third largest in Hokkaido. The museum store on the first floor sells science and astronomy-related goods, as well as unique food products inspired by space food.

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A planetarium, an observatory, and an Experience Corner where visitors of all ages can experience science in a fun way.

Asahikawa Science Museum "Saipal
  • Address 3-3-32, Miyamae 1jo 3-chome, Asahikawa City, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 4 minutes drive from JR Asahikawa Station.
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Asahikawa Station, get off at "Kagakukan-mae" and walk about 1 minute.
  • Business hours 9:30-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
  • Closed Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays (December 30 - January 4, except January 2, when the museum is open), and the last weekday of each month
  • Admission Fee Permanent Exhibition Hall (1 day): Adults 410 yen, High school students 280 yen, Free for junior high school students and younger
    Planetarium (1 visit): Adults 330 yen, High school students 220 yen, Free for junior high school students and younger
    Permanent exhibition room (1 day) + planetarium (1 time): Adults 520 yen, High school students 350 yen, Free for junior high school students and under
  • TEL 0166-31-3186
  • Parking Free of charge

A memorial museum in the birthplace of Yasushi Inoue, the Akutagawa Prize-winning author, where you can trace his life.

In the museum, the study that used to be Yasushi Inoue's house in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, has been moved to a new location, displaying his handwritten manuscripts and other items.
In the museum, the study that used to be Yasushi Inoue's house in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, has been moved to a new location, displaying his handwritten manuscripts and other items.

Inoue Yasushi, who won the Akutagawa Prize in 1950 for "Bullfighting," was a major influence on Showa literature and was active in the Japanese literary world after World War II. The Yasushi Inoue Memorial Museum exhibits materials that reveal his life spanning 83 years, including his own research notes, handwritten manuscripts, literary works, and works by artists with whom he had close relationships. The study and parlor of the house where he lived in Setagaya Ward have been moved to the memorial hall, and explanations are posted on the walls of the passageways, so visitors can learn how he spent his time in the rooms by reading them as they go around.

A large amount of documents and a Persian carpet in the reception room

The parlor is surrounded by books and documents lined up on bookshelves that reach the ceiling.
The parlor is surrounded by books and documents lined up on bookshelves that reach the ceiling.

Since 1981, whenever a nominee for the Nobel Prize in Literature was mentioned, the press would come to his house and he would hold a party in his parlor, which he called the "Nommel Prize," to express his regret, saying that there was no use in expecting anything when the odds were like a stone falling from the sky. It is a pleasure to look around while recalling the episode of how he understood the feelings of the press from his experience as a newspaper reporter and continued to be courteous to them.

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A precious memorial hall where visitors can Experience the world of the great writers. The reconstructed study and parlor are faithfully reproduced as they were when he wrote.

Yasushi Inoue Memorial Museum
  • Address 7, Shunko 5jo, Asahikawa City, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 20 min. by car from JR Asahikawa Station
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Asahikawa Station, get off at "Shunkoen-mae" bus stop, and walk about 2 minutes.
  • Business hours 9:00-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
  • Closed DaysMondays (or the following day if Monday is a holiday); Year-end and New Year holidays: December 30–January 4. *Open daily from Monday, July 27, to Monday, August 24 (subject to change annually).
  • Admission Fee General admission: 300 yen; high school students: 150 yen; middle school students and younger: free. *Effective October 1, 2026: General admission: 450 yen; high school students: 220 yen; middle school students and younger: free
  • TEL 0166-51-1188
  • Parking Free of charge

Learn about the history of sake brewing passed down from the Edo period

The museum displays materials related to “Otokoyama”—sake brewed with groundwater from the Daisetsuzan Mountains—as well as valuable Edo-period documents and sake vessels
The museum displays materials related to “Otokoyama”—sake brewed with groundwater from the Daisetsuzan Mountains—as well as valuable Edo-period documents and sake vessels

“Otokoyama” is a sake brewed using spring water affectionately known as the “Water of Longevity.”The museum displays materials related to this renowned sake—which was even presented to the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period and depicted in ukiyo-e prints by artists such as Kitagawa Utamaro and Utagawa Kuniyoshi—as well as valuable Edo-period documents and sake vessels. Additionally, during the brewing season, visitors can observe part of the sake-making process.

Otokoyama, a famous sake that has been loved by everyone since the Edo period

In front of the museum, there is a giant slide shaped like a one-shō bottle, where visitors can enter through the bottle’s neck and slide down
In front of the museum, there is a giant slide shaped like a one-shō bottle, where visitors can enter through the bottle’s neck and slide down

Otokoyama" sake was named after Otokoyama Hachimangu Shrine by San'emon Yamamoto, a sake brewer in the Itami area of Hyogo Prefecture during the Edo period (1603-1868). Yamazaki Shuzo (the predecessor of Otokoyama Co., Ltd.), which has been brewing sake in Hokkaido since 1887 (20th year of Meiji era), has inherited the name and has passed it on from generation to generation in the northern land. The brewery produces a crisp, dry, light sake with the harsh climate and subsoil water from Daisetsuzan (Mt. Daisetsu). The sake is characterized by the taste produced by the nature of Hokkaido, so please enjoy tasting the sake on the first floor.

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You may want to think back to the distant past while tasting sake that people in the Edo period may have also tasted.

OTOKOYAMA SAKE PARK
  • Address 7-1-33, Nagayama 2-jo 7-chome, Asahikawa, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 14 min. drive from JR Asahikawa Stn.
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Asahikawa Station, get off at Nagayama 2-jo 6-chome, and walk about 2 minutes.
  • Business Hours 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Tastings and café open until 4:30 p.m.)
  • Closed Year-end and New Year holidays (December 31, January 1-3)
  • Admission Fee Free of charge
  • TEL 0166-76-5548
  • Parking Free of charge

Encountering Ainu history and culture

In the spacious hall on the lower floor, visitors can learn about the history of Hokkaido's nature and people.
In the spacious hall on the lower floor, visitors can learn about the history of Hokkaido's nature and people.

The museum, located in Asahikawa's Daisetsu Crystal Hall, has two floors, an upper floor and a lower floor, where visitors can learn about Hokkaido's history and other topics. The main theme of the lower level is "Animals, Plants, and People Surviving the Severe Cold". Materials related to nature and the humanities are on display, and visitors can learn about the geology, topography, climate, and ecosystem of Asahikawa. This is a valuable opportunity to learn about the ingenuity of the people who have survived in the harsh natural environment.

Life and culture of each era transmitted over time

A restored pit dwelling. A peek inside reveals the lifestyle of the people.
A restored pit dwelling. A peek inside reveals the lifestyle of the people.

On the upper floor, visitors are introduced to the lives of people from ancient times, the indigenous Ainu people, and settlers represented by the Tonden soldiers. The reconstructed and relocated dwellings from each period are on display, including a pit dwelling, the chise where the Ainu people lived, and the Tondabeiya, which served as the residence of the Tondenhei soldiers. The museum also exhibits daily necessities, so visitors can get an accurate picture of how people lived in these houses.

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It will be a good opportunity to learn about Hokkaido by observing one of the aspects of modern history that is not often mentioned in school education.

Asahikawa City Museum
  • Address7-chome, Kagura 3-jo, Asahikawa City, Hokkaido (inside the Asahikawa City Daisetsu Crystal Hall) MAP
  • Direction 5 min. drive from JR Asahikawa Station
  • Hours of Operation 9:00-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
  • Closed Open the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month (or the following day if the Monday is a national holiday), Year-end and New Year holidays (Dec. 30 - Jan. 4), Open every day from June to September.
  • Admission Fee Permanent Exhibition: Adults 350 yen, High School Students 230 yen, Elementary and Junior High School Students Free (Effective October 1, Reiwa 8: Adults 440 yen, High School Students 290 yen)
  • TEL 0166-69-2004
  • Parking Free of charge

An art museum that collects paintings, prints, sculptures, and other works by artists associated with northern Hokkaido

Regularly scheduled exhibitions of wood carvings, wood crafts, chairs, and other items by artists from Japan and abroad collected by the museum.
Regularly scheduled exhibitions of wood carvings, wood crafts, chairs, and other items by artists from Japan and abroad collected by the museum.

Located within Tokiwa Park—a hub for art and culture in the Northern Hokkaido region and a place of relaxation for Asahikawa citizens—this art museum offers visitors the opportunity to encounter a wealth of valuable collections. Thanks in part to the region’s abundant forest resources, which have fostered a thriving furniture and woodworking industry, this museum is unique to Asahikawa and houses a large collection of wooden sculptures by talented artists from both Japan and abroad.
Gallery 1 hosts themed exhibitions, special exhibitions of the museum’s collection, and special exhibitions showcasing outstanding works from Japan and abroad. Gallery 2 features themed exhibitions that present works from the museum’s collection from various perspectives, so be sure to visit and enjoy discovering these artworks.

The museum shop and café are located in the spacious lobby

Sunlight streaming in through the glass windows creates a peaceful contrast in the entrance hall.
Sunlight streaming in through the glass windows creates a peaceful contrast in the entrance hall.

In addition to the art exhibitions, the Hokkaido Asahikawa Museum of Art features a museum shop and a café operated by volunteer groups.
At the café, you can enjoy coffee served in cups crafted by local Asahikawa potters, and at the shop, you can purchase crafts and other items associated with Asahikawa. The shop also occasionally sells merchandise related to current exhibitions.

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This is a valuable museum where visitors can encounter not only works by artists associated with northern Hokkaido, but also art from Japan and abroad.

Hokkaido Asahikawa Museum of Art
  • Address In Tokiwa Park, Asahikawa City, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction Approximately 8 minutes from JR Asahikawa Station by car.
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Asahikawa Station, get off at "4jo 4-chome" and walk 5 min.
  • Closed Days Mondays (closed the following weekday if Monday is a holiday; however, open during Art Week), year-end and New Year’s holidays (December 29–January 3), and during exhibition changes
  • Admission Fee Admission to the first exhibition room: Varies according to each exhibition.
    Admission to the second exhibition room: Adults 260 yen, High school and college students 150 yen
  • TEL 0166-25-2577
  • Parking Free (You may use the parking lot at Tokiwa Park)

The northernmost zoo in Japan, where you can see animals in their natural habitat up close

Through the glass, visitors can see polar bears up close as they swim and roam around
Through the glass, visitors can see polar bears up close as they swim and roam around

The nationally famous Asahiyama Zoo is designed with features throughout the park that allow visitors to observe animals in their natural state up close. Here, you can see the animals in all their vitality. In the giant pool, you might even witness polar bears diving to catch their prey, just as they would in the wild.The view through the reinforced glass—designed to allow visitors to observe the animals’ movements underwater—is truly spectacular. The zoo also offers other sights unique to Hokkaido, such as the chance to see penguins strolling through the snow up close during the winter months.

Behavioral exhibits" that allow visitors to observe animals in their natural habitat

A variety of Properties Designed to Bring Out the True Ability and Behavior of Animals
A variety of Properties Designed to Bring Out the True Ability and Behavior of Animals

The Asahiyama Zoo has indoor properties throughout the zoo, allowing visitors to observe the animals regardless of the weather. If you are lucky, you may be able to see chimpanzees sheltering from the rain in the shelters of the Property. It is also safe to say that umbrellas are available free of charge for use inside the park.

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At the Wolf Forest, built to resemble the forests of Hokkaido 100 years ago, visitors can see wolves that once lived in Hokkaido. The Ezo wolf used to live in Hokkaido, but it became extinct, and the Asahiyama Zoo now keeps the Shinrin wolf.

Asahiyama Zoo
  • Address Kuranuma, Higashi Asahikawa-cho, Asahikawa City, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 23 minutes drive from JR Asahikawa Station.
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Asahikawa Station, get off at Higashi Asahikawa Kogyo Danchi 1jo 2-chome, and walk about 13 min.
  • Business Hours2026
    May 1 - October 15 9:30 - 17:15
    October 16 - November 3 9:30 - 16:30
    November 11 - December 29 10:30 - 15:30
  • Closed Change from year to year
  • Admission Fee Adults (high school students and older): 1,000 yen, junior high school students and younger: free
  • TEL 0166-36-1104
  • Parking Free, Private parking is available nearby.

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.