Asahikawa

Asahikawa Airport in Hokkaido cuts a sharp form as planes come and go from its single runway. With easy access from Asahikawa Station, Asahiyama Zoo, and Furano Station, visitors to the area may find themselves on the tarmac of this airport that has been around for more than half a century.

While in the Asahikawa and Furano area, rediscover the world’s natural splendor at Asahiyama Zoo, Biei Farm, Furano Cheese Factory, and Ueno Farm, also known as the Gnomes’ Garden—even try sake at Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum.

The Asahiyama Zoo is the northernmost zoo of its kind in Japan. Visitors to the Asahiyama Zoo will see animals in wide-open spaces where they frolic, fly, and swim. With seals swimming through tubes, birds flying overhead in the aviarium, and penguins on parade at feeding time, you’ll be transported to a magical animal kingdom.

See fields of fluffy lavender at Biei Farm and try a variety of lavender-themed treats. At the Furano Cheese Factory discover the cheese-making process and eat your fill of the creamy delicious food we all know and love.

Likewise, at Ueno Farm, guests can rediscover a world they thought they knew. This garden getaway is the perfect place for green-thumb enthusiasts and lovers of a quaint and picturesque scene. An ideal family trip, the Gnomes’ Garden provides a mixture of English gardens and Japanese flora.

If you’re planning a trip without children, make sure to visit the local sake brewery that offers free tasting and a spectrum of local produce. Discover the brewing methods used in Japan for nihonshu, or sake as it’s commonly called. And even sample natural spring water from Daisetsuzan Mountain outside the brewery.

Hokkaido Access Guide

Major Airports in Hokkaido