Asahikawa, Hokkaido · Things to do
Things to Do in Asahikawa: 11 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
11 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
11 things to do in Asahikawa, from the station outward
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Asahiyama Zoo旭山動物園
Zoo · Higashi-Asahikawa (east of the city)
A city-run zoo that opens in set periods rather than all year, with shorter days in winter and two special evening openings. The 2027 Asahikawa Winter Festival marks the zoo's 60th anniversary year.
- Access
- Route bus 41 or 47 (Asahikawa Denki Kido) from stop 6 at Asahikawa Station, about 40 minutes, adults ¥670, roughly every 30 minutes. Taxi about 30 minutes, about ¥3,500. A bus from Asahikawa Airport (route 78) runs once a day each way on weekends and holidays from 29 April to 3 November, and daily from 25 July to 16 August.
- Hours
- 16 October–3 November 2026: 9:30–16:30 (last entry 16:00). 11 November–29 December 2026 and 2 January–7 April 2027: 10:30–15:30 (last entry 15:00). 29 April–15 October 2027: 9:30–17:15 (last entry 16:00). Special evening openings: 5–7 February 2027, 10:30–20:30 (last entry 20:00); 10–16 August, 9:30–21:00 (last entry 20:00).
- Closed on
- Open only in the periods above, so it is not open between them (for example 4–10 November 2026, 30 December–1 January, and 8–28 April 2027).
- Price
- Adults ¥1,000; junior high and under free. The adult fee rises to ¥1,400 from 29 April 2027.
2Heiwa-dori Shopping Park平和通買物公園
Pedestrian shopping street · Asahikawa Station
A traffic-free shopping street opened on 1 June 1972, the first permanent pedestrian street in Japan according to the city. It runs about 1 km north from the station to 8-jo-dori past department stores and restaurants, with outdoor sculptures along the way, including "Saxophone Player and Cat" at 3-jo-dori and "Hand" at 8-jo-dori.
- Access
- Starts at the front of JR Asahikawa Station and runs about 1 km north to 8-jo-dori.
3Tokiwa Park常磐公園
City park · Central Asahikawa
The first park opened in Asahikawa (1910), about 15.85 ha in the city centre, with Chidorigaike and Hakucho ponds, outdoor sculptures, the Hokkaido Museum of Art, Asahikawa and the central library. It was chosen as one of Japan's 100 Urban Parks in 1989, and Asahibashi bridge and the Ishikari River bank lie just to its north.
- Access
- Dohoku Bus or Asahikawa Denki Kido bus; get off at Tokiwa Koen or 4-jo 4-chome. Free parking, shared with the library and other buildings, which can be full.
4Miura Ayako Memorial Literature Museum三浦綾子記念文学館
Literature museum · Kagura (east of the river)
A museum for the Asahikawa-born novelist Miura Ayako, set inside the foreign-tree sample forest that appears in her novel Hyoten (Freezing Point). The forest is the oldest planting of foreign trees in Hokkaido, and the building won the city's 4th Urban Landscape Award.
- Access
- About 20 minutes on foot from the east exit of JR Asahikawa Station, crossing Hyoten Bridge. By bus, about 15 minutes plus a 5-minute walk from the Kagura 4-jo 8-chome Kagura Nokyo-mae stop.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays from 1 September to 30 June (including Mondays that are holidays); open daily 1 July–31 August; closed 28 December–5 January
- Price
- Adults ¥700; students ¥300; elementary to high school free
5Nakahara Teijiro Memorial Asahikawa Sculpture Museum中原悌二郎記念旭川市彫刻美術館
Sculpture museum · Shunko
A city museum for the sculptor Nakahara Teijiro, showing all 12 of his surviving works with pieces by Rodin and Ogiwara Morie, and the winners of the Nakahara Teijiro Prize. The city's Eight Views page names the old Asahikawa Kaikosha, a wooden Western-style club building designated an Important Cultural Property in 1989, as the museum building.
- Access
- Asahikawa Denki Kido bus from stop 4 at Asahikawa Station (routes 5, 80 or 522 for Shunko Bus Center), about 25 minutes, get off at Shunkoen-mae. By car about 20 minutes from the station.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays (the next day if a holiday), 30 December–4 January; some Mondays in July and August are open. Free admission on 3 November 2026 (Culture Day).
- Price
- Adults ¥670; high school ¥440; junior high and under free
6Kaguraoka Park神楽岡公園
Hill park · Kaguraoka (about 3 km south-east of the centre)
A hilly park of about 41 ha, opened in 1914, with natural elm and oak woodland, about 500 Ezo-yamazakura cherry trees and the Chubetsu River along its north side. It has a camp village, a bird pond, and a walking-ski course in winter; the Green Center inside has a tropical-plant exhibition room.
- Access
- Asahikawa Denki Kido bus to Kamikawa Jinja-mae, which is close to the Green Center (about 5 minutes on foot). Free parking.
- Hours
- Green Center: 9:00–17:00
- Closed on
- Green Center: Mondays (the next day if a holiday), 30 December–4 January
- Price
- Green Center: free
7Kamikawa Shrine上川神社
Shinto shrine · Kaguraoka
A shrine on the Kaguraoka hill inside Kaguraoka Park, moved to its present site in 1924. Its annual festival runs 20–22 July, with a portable shrine carried through the parish and kept overnight at the shrine's Tongu branch in Tokiwa Park.
- Access
- About 4 km from Asahikawa Station. Bus 82, 83 or 84 from the station front to the Kamikawa Jinja stop, then 1 minute on foot. About 1.5 km from Kaguraoka Station on the Furano Line.
8Asahikawa Ramen Villageあさひかわラーメン村
Ramen food hall · Nagayama
A ramen complex of eight Asahikawa shops in a corner of the Powers shopping centre, opened in August 1996, with 220 seats in total. Outside are a mural, a small "noodle bond" shrine and a bowl-shaped bench.
- Access
- The village's access page gives car times only: 20 minutes from JR Asahikawa Station, 15 minutes from Asahiyama Zoo, 30 minutes from Asahikawa Airport and 20 minutes from Asahikawa-Takasu IC. Free parking, including for large buses.
- Hours
- 11:00–20:00; for the time being, some shops keep shorter hours
- Price
- Free to enter
9Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum男山酒造り資料舘
Sake brewery museum · Nagayama
A free museum run by the Otokoyama brewery, with old brewing tools on the third floor and Edo-period documents and ukiyo-e that show Otokoyama on the second. The brewery gives away its brewing water free, up to 20 litres per person, from 9:00 to 17:00. The museum now sits inside the brewery's Otokoyama Sake Park, which opened on 13 September 2024.
- Access
- Dohoku Bus to the Nagayama 2-jo 6-chome stop, then 2 minutes on foot. By car, 30 minutes from Asahikawa Airport, 15 minutes from Asahiyama Zoo and 5 minutes from the Ramen Village. Parking for 50 cars and 8 buses.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (the museum page says to check the Sake Park site for current business information)
- Closed on
- 31 December and 1–3 January
- Price
- Free
10Asahikawa Winter Festival旭川冬まつり
Winter festival (February) · Central Asahikawa
A snow-and-ice festival held since 1960, with a main snow sculpture that the festival describes as one of the world's largest (140 m wide, 20 m high) and smaller sculptures made by volunteers. The 68th festival runs 6–11 February 2027; its sites, hours and any fees had not been published on the official site on 20 October 2026.
February only. The 2027 festival runs 6–11 February; sites and hours were not yet published on 20 October 2026.
- Access
- From the 2026 edition's access page: no parking at the site, no shuttle bus, so use route buses or taxis; there is a taxi stand at JR Asahikawa Station. The 2027 access page is not yet published.
11Asahidake Ropeway (Daisetsuzan)大雪山旭岳ロープウェイ
Ropeway to the Daisetsuzan mountains (day trip) · Asahidake Onsen, Higashikawa (outside Asahikawa)
A ropeway of about 10 minutes one way from the base station to Sugatami Station at 1,600 m in the Daisetsuzan mountains. From there a loop of about 1.7 km around Sugatami Pond takes about an hour. Credit cards are not accepted for tickets.
A day trip outside Asahikawa, in Higashikawa. Check the ropeway calendar before going.
- Access
- Route 66 bus (Asahikawa Denki Kido) from stop 9 at Asahikawa Station: 7:15, 9:15, 12:15 or 14:15, arriving 9:03, 11:03, 14:03 or 16:03 (about 1 hour 48 minutes), adults ¥2,300. Buses back leave Mt. Asahidake at 9:55, 11:55, 14:55 and 16:55. By car, about 1 hour 10 minutes from the station.
- Hours
- 20 October 2026: 8:00–17:00. From 24 October: first up 9:00, last down 16:00 (listed through 15 November). From 11 December: first up 9:00, last down 15:40. Every 20 minutes from 21 October.
- Closed on
- Closed for maintenance 16 November–10 December 2026 on the operator's calendar
- Price
- Round trip, junior high and over: ¥3,500 until 31 October, ¥2,800 from 1 November to 31 May. Elementary students ¥1,750. Under school age free (one child per adult).
Good to know
Asahiyama Zoo is the main reason most visitors come, and it needs half a day: the route bus from Asahikawa Station takes about 40 minutes. It opens only in set periods, so check the calendar first. In 2026–27 it is open 16 October–3 November, 11 November–29 December and 2 January–7 April, then from 29 April 2027, and the adult fee rises from ¥1,000 to ¥1,400 on that date.
The rest is spread by direction. Heiwa-dori starts at the station front and Tokiwa Park is beside it. The Miura Ayako Museum is about 20 minutes on foot east of the station, and the Sculpture Museum is a 25-minute bus ride. Kaguraoka Park and Kamikawa Shrine share a hill about 4 km south. The Ramen Village and the Otokoyama sake museum are five minutes apart by car in Nagayama. Asahidake is the one day trip on this list, about 1 hour 48 minutes from the station by the first bus.
Dates to plan around: the 68th Winter Festival runs 6–11 February 2027, and the zoo has special evening openings on 5–7 February. The Asahidake Ropeway takes its last car down at 16:00 from 24 October and is closed for maintenance 16 November–10 December 2026. The Sculpture Museum is free on 3 November 2026.
Near the station, out in the city, or a day trip
How to reach each group from JR Asahikawa Station, what it costs to get in, and what to check first. Adult prices.
| Where | From Asahikawa Station | Entry (adult) | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Station area: Heiwa-dori, Tokiwa Park | Heiwa-dori starts at the station front and runs about 1 km north; Tokiwa Park by Dohoku or Asahikawa Denki Kido bus (Tokiwa Koen stop) | No fee stated on the official pages | Shop hours along Heiwa-dori vary |
| Asahiyama Zoo | Route bus 41 or 47 from stop 6, about 40 min, ¥670 · taxi about 30 min | ¥1,000 (¥1,400 from 29 April 2027); junior high and under free | Open only in set periods; 10:30–15:30 in winter |
| Museums east and south of the station: Miura Ayako, Sculpture Museum | Miura Ayako about 20 min on foot · Sculpture Museum bus from stop 4, about 25 min | Miura Ayako ¥700 · Sculpture Museum ¥670 | Both closed Mondays (Miura open daily 1 July–31 August); last entry 16:30 |
| Kaguraoka Park and Kamikawa Shrine | Bus 82, 83 or 84 to the Kamikawa Jinja stop; about 4 km | Green Center free; no other fee stated | Green Center closed Mondays and 30 December–4 January |
| Nagayama: Ramen Village, Otokoyama museum | Ramen Village about 20 min by car · Otokoyama by Dohoku Bus to Nagayama 2-jo 6-chome, then 2 min on foot | Both free to enter | Ramen Village 11:00–20:00 (some shops shorter) · museum 9:00–17:00 |
| Day trip: Asahidake Ropeway | Route 66 bus from stop 9, 4 a day, first 7:15 arriving 9:03, ¥2,300 · car about 1 hr 10 min | Round trip ¥3,500 to 31 October, ¥2,800 from 1 November | Last car down 16:00 from 24 October; closed 16 November–10 December |
By kind of trip
First trip, half a day around the station
Heiwa-dori starts at the station front, Tokiwa Park is next to it, and the Miura Ayako Museum is about 20 minutes on foot from the east exit. The museum's last entry is 16:30.
Heiwa-dori Shopping Park · Tokiwa Park · Miura Ayako Memorial Literature Museum
With children
The zoo is free for junior high and under. The Asahidake Ropeway is ¥1,750 round trip for elementary students, and under-school-age children ride free, one per adult. Kaguraoka Park has a camp village and play equipment.
Asahiyama Zoo · Asahidake Ropeway (Daisetsuzan) · Kaguraoka Park · Asahikawa Ramen Village
Rain or snow
These are indoors. The Miura Ayako Museum and the Sculpture Museum close on Mondays, and the Ramen Village is open 11:00–20:00 with some shops on shorter hours.
Miura Ayako Memorial Literature Museum · Nakahara Teijiro Memorial Asahikawa Sculpture Museum · Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum · Asahikawa Ramen Village
Winter
The zoo keeps shorter winter hours (10:30–15:30) and opens until 20:30 on 5–7 February 2027. The Winter Festival runs 6–11 February 2027. Kaguraoka Park has a walking-ski course, and the Asahidake Ropeway moves to its ¥2,800 winter fare on 1 November.
Asahiyama Zoo · Asahikawa Winter Festival · Kaguraoka Park · Asahidake Ropeway (Daisetsuzan)
History and culture
Heiwa-dori was the first permanent pedestrian street in Japan (1972). The Sculpture Museum shows all 12 surviving works of Nakahara Teijiro, and Kamikawa Shrine sits on the hill that was once planned as a royal villa site.
Heiwa-dori Shopping Park · Nakahara Teijiro Memorial Asahikawa Sculpture Museum · Miura Ayako Memorial Literature Museum · Kamikawa Shrine
Questions
How do I get to Asahiyama Zoo from Asahikawa Station, and when is it open?
Take route bus 41 or 47 from stop 6 at the station, about 40 minutes, adults ¥670, roughly every 30 minutes; a taxi takes about 30 minutes and costs about ¥3,500. The zoo opens only in set periods: 16 October–3 November 2026 (9:30–16:30), 11 November–29 December 2026 and 2 January–7 April 2027 (10:30–15:30), and from 29 April 2027 (9:30–17:15). Adults ¥1,000 until 28 April 2027, ¥1,400 after.
When is the Asahikawa Winter Festival in 2027?
The 68th Asahikawa Winter Festival runs 6–11 February 2027 (Saturday to Thursday, a holiday). On 20 October 2026 the official site had not yet published the sites, hours or any fees. For the 2026 edition the festival had no parking on site and no shuttle bus, so visitors used route buses or taxis.
Can I visit Asahidake and the Daisetsuzan mountains as a day trip from Asahikawa?
Yes. Route 66 buses leave Asahikawa Station at 7:15, 9:15, 12:15 and 14:15 and reach Mt. Asahidake about 1 hour 48 minutes later (adults ¥2,300); the last bus back leaves at 16:55. From 24 October the ropeway's last car down is at 16:00, and it is closed for maintenance 16 November–10 December 2026. The round trip costs ¥3,500 until 31 October and ¥2,800 from 1 November.
Which places in Asahikawa are free to enter?
The Asahikawa Ramen Village and the Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum are free to enter, as is the Kaguraoka Green Center. The Sculpture Museum is free on 3 November 2026 (Culture Day). Heiwa-dori, Tokiwa Park, Kaguraoka Park and Kamikawa Shrine show no entry fee on their official pages.
Is anything closed in November?
Asahiyama Zoo is not open 4–10 November 2026, and reopens on 11 November with winter hours of 10:30–15:30. The Asahidake Ropeway is closed for maintenance 16 November–10 December 2026. The Miura Ayako Museum and the Sculpture Museum close on Mondays.