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.

Local Guide Comment
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 Tuesdays (except national holidays), year-end, New Year's, Bon 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.

Local Guide Comment
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.

Local Guide Comment
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 Mondays (the following day if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year's holidays (Dec. 30 - Jan. 4), open all year from June to September.
  • Admission Fee Adults 300 yen, High school students 150 yen, Free for junior high school students and younger
  • TEL 0166-51-1188
  • Parking Free of charge

Sake brewing, a traditional culture that has been passed down from generation to generation since the Edo period and is depicted in ukiyoe woodblock prints.

Otokoyama
Otokoyama" sake brewed with water from the underground streams of Mt.

Sake is brewed using spring water known as "water of longevity. You can observe the process of making this famous sake, which was offered to the Tokugawa shoguns in the Edo period (1603-1868) and is even depicted in ukiyoe paintings by artists such as Utamaro Kitagawa and Kuniyoshi Utagawa. (During the brewing season, from November to March) Inside the Property, which runs from the first to third floors, there are exhibits of valuable materials, such as tools used in sake brewing in the past.

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

Rare exhibits include the origin of Otokoyama, historical materials, and ukiyoe woodblock prints.
Rare exhibits include the origin of Otokoyama, historical materials, and ukiyoe woodblock prints.

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.

Local Guide Comment
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 Brewery Museum
  • 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 9:00-17:00, 10:00-15:00 on the second Sunday in February when the brewery is open to the public.
  • Closed Year-end and New Year holidays (December 31, January 1-3)
  • Admission Fee Free of charge
  • TEL 0166-47-7080
  • 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.

Local Guide Comment
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
  • Address Kagura 3-jo 7-chome, Asahikawa City, Hokkaido (in Daisetsu Crystal Hall, Asahikawa City) MAP
  • Direction 5 min. drive from JR Asahikawa Station
  • Business hours 9:00-17:00 (last admission 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, Free for elementary and junior high school students
  • 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.

The museum is located in Tokiwa Park, which is the center of art and culture in the northern Hokkaido area and a place of recreation and relaxation for Asahikawa citizens. The park displays a variety of sculptures typical of Asahikawa, a city of sculptures, and visitors can encounter a number of valuable collections in the museum. Asahikawa is blessed with rich forest resources and a thriving furniture and woodworking industry, so the museum has a large collection of wooden sculptures by talented artists from both Japan and abroad.

Wooden sculptures dotting the spacious entrance hall

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.

The collection includes paintings, prints, sculptures, and craft works by a wide range of talented artists associated with northern Hokkaido. In Exhibition Hall 1, there are special exhibitions, special collections exhibitions, and special exhibitions introducing outstanding works from Japan and abroad. In the second exhibition hall, there are special exhibitions that introduce various aspects of the museum's collection, making it a great place to enjoy encountering the works of art.

Local Guide Comment
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 Mondays (If Monday is a national holiday, the museum is closed on the following Tuesday. Closed on Mondays (or the following Tuesday if the Monday is a national holiday, but open during Art Week), year-end and New Year's holidays (December 29-January 3), and during exhibition change periods, etc.
  • 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 of charge

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 Asahiyama Zoo is famous throughout Japan for its ingenuity in allowing visitors to observe animals up close in their natural habitat. The zoo is famous throughout the country for its many creative ways to observe animals up close and in their natural habitat. In the huge pool, you can see polar bears dive to catch food just as they do in the wild. The spectacle is breathtaking through the reinforced glass, which is designed to allow visitors to see all of the animals in action. During the snow season, penguins strolling on the snow can be seen up close, a sight unique to Hokkaido.

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.

Local Guide Comment
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 hours April 29 - October 15, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
    October 16 - November 3, 2022: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
    November 11 - April 9, 2023 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
  • Closed April 8 - April 28, November 4 - November 10, December 30 - January 1 of the following year (changes each 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.
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.