#66- Asahikawa あさひかわ

At long last, we arrived in Asahikawa! Unfortunately, the zoo was closed for cleaning or something. It wasn't a big deal, however, because it was a gross rainy day and walking around the zoo would have been really cold anyway. Instead, we had some ramen, did a little shopping, and went to the Michi no Eki.

View of the Michi no Eki from the parking lot. If you are driving, that yellow and blue sign on the right is a pretty good landmark.

Contact Info:
Address: 旭川市神楽4条6丁目1番12号　Asahikawa-shi, Kagura 4 jo, 6 chome, 1 ban, 12 gou
Telephone: (0166)61-2283
Closings: Closed for the New Year's holidays. For specific dates, please contact the Michi no Eki.
Hours: 
           Shop: 9:00 am ~ 7:00 pm
           Food Court: 11:00 am ~ 8:00 pm (last order at 7:30)
           Bakery: 9:00 am ~ 4:00 pm

Asahikawa's country sign

Asahikawa's stamp

Michi no Eki official site facility guide:
Parking: 115 regular spaces and 6 large spaces*
Restaurant: Yes
Crib/place to put your baby: Yes
Campsite: No
Interactive facilities: No
Toilet: 4 stalls and 11 urinals in the men's, 13 stalls in the women's
Coffee: Yes
Observation Deck: No
Gas Station: No
Electric Car Charging Station: No
Handicapped Parking/Toilets: 2 parking spaces and 1 toilet stall. The website has a note that there may be a stall dedicated to ostomy-related needs
Rest Area: Yes
Museum/Art Gallery: No
Place to Shower: No
Credit Card: Yes
Bidet Toilets: Yes
Information: Yes
Hot Spring Bath: No
Fax: Yes
Dog Run: No
Telephone: Yes
AED: No
Sports Facilities: No
Internet: No
Shop: Yes
Park: No
Hotel: No
Post Office: Yes

*The Asahikawa Michi no Eki is more urban than most. If you are a nervous driver, this one could be a little bit more stressful, as the roads around it are city streets. The parking lot is pretty large, but it is usually close to full and there are often people who will help direct you to an open spot, so be prepared to pay attention.

Stuff to Do:
1. Food Court and Bakery

There are a few options for food and a large seating area at the food court, but I have never eaten there. There is a bakery inside the Michi no Eki as well. The bakery is called Dapas. I remember the coffee being a little bit too strong for my tastes, but they also sell nice breads and cake-type foods. If you are hungry or just a little peckish, you have a wide range of choices between the food court and the bakery!

2. Shop

As with pretty much every Michi no Eki, there is a souvenir shop. Asahikawa has a mascot called "Asappy" who is some kind of seal. You can buy Asappy goods or cookies with his face on them. The Asahiyama Zoo is also quite famous, so there are lots of animal-themed plushies and foods. There is a drink cooler and a selection of local foods, including a lavender section. Although Asahikawa isn't super well-known for lavender, it is close enough to the Furano area to get a little bit of credit. Compared to other Michi no Ekis, there is a slightly bigger selection, and a heavier focus on toys instead of handicrafts and food. (Sorry, I thought I took a picture of the shop but I didn't.)

3. Photo opportunity with Asappy

There are now two statues of Assapy in the Michi no Eki. You can stand in front of them and take a picture.

Like this.

I asked a friend, and she explained Asappy's design to me. The zoo is famous for seals, so seal was chosen as the base design (although I think that the ears mean it may be mixed with the equally-famous polar bears that they have there). The strings hanging from his arms represent Asahikawa ramen, and the design on his stomach shows a famous bridge in Asahikawa in front of the Daisetsuzan mountains. He looks a little dopey, but a lot of work went into creating him!

4. Occasional Events

There is a large event hall that sometimes does events. The day I was there, they were having some kind of fair. I didn't go in, but I saw a lot of children with balloons. So you might happen upon a fun adventure if you go. If you hate adventures, they probably advertise the events on the Asahikawa Michi no Eki page, so you can look there as well.

5. Eat Ramen

Asahikawa is known for their ramen. Apparently the broth for Asahikawa-style ramen is a blend of pork bone, chicken bone, and seafood stock. There is a whole history behind it, but I am not a ramen aficionado so it's a little bit over my head. If you visit Asahikawa, you can choose between a lot of well-known ramen shops at the Asahikawa Ramen Village (Asahikawa Ramen Mura). It is located at 11-4 Nagayama, Asahikawa 079-8421, Hokkaido. There are a bunch of little ramen shops arranged along the outside of a building, so you can view the menus and easily choose before you go in. My friend and I weren't looking for anything in particular, so we went to the one with the most outgoing sales guy. Their website is here.

This ramen was almost as salty as my tears when I found out that the zoo was closed.

This is vegetable ramen in a salt-based broth.