Japanese ramen is making waves all over the world, but it may come as a surprise for foodies out there to find out that Asahikawa is famous in Japan for its ramen. As expected of a renowned ramen city, you will find numerous popular ramen restaurants lining the streets of Asahikawa. The basic feature of Asahikawa ramen is its “dual broth” which is made of an animal base (such as pork) and a fish base. With that being said, flavours differ vastly from restaurant to restaurant. There are many restaurants with their own unique flavour profiles and you’ll have a hard time climbing out of the rabbit hole of Asahikawa ramen if you dare to venture down. If you want to get a head start on your journey, OMO7 Asahikawa has a number of Rangers who are experts in Asahikawa ramen. You can also join a ramen hopping tour if you want to dive right in. The hotel is a great source of information for ramen lovers all around. Don’t forget to head just a little out of town to the Ramen Village as well, which features eight predominant restaurants.
If ramen isn’t your dish of choice, then there’s a huge variety of other bars, izakaya, and restaurants for you to whet your appetite. Drop by “Furarito” or “Paris Gai” (Paris Street) for a more underground experience of the hidden treasures the city has to offer. There’s so much food fun to be had whether you head out to explore on your own or get some insider information from the OMO Rangers to help you discover new pockets of joy in Asahikawa.
Asahiyama Zoo and exploring Asahikawa City
If you base your ski adventures in a city, when the conditions aren’t great up in the mountains you can easily shift gears to do some sightseeing by heading over to the zoo or visiting a few cafés. The biggest advantage of a stay in the city is that there’s always something to do outside of skiing and snowboarding.
A visit to Asahiyama Zoo is a must when you’re up for some sightseeing in Asahikawa. This popular zoo creates unique habitats and exhibits to showcase animals in their natural forms, which has visitors coming back over and over again. The animals are lively and relaxed due to the care put into the animals and their enclosures. Everyone flocks to see the famous Penguin Parade, where penguins waddle around the zoo. In winter, there’s a free shuttle bus from OMO7 Asahikawa that takes you straight over.
Fans of sake will be pleased to discover that Takasago Shuzou, the makers of the increasingly popular Hokkaido Japanese rice wine, “Kokushi Musou,” is just a quick stroll from Asahikawa Station. Asahikawa has an arts and crafts side to it as well. Walking around the town will lead you to all sorts of shops that craft cloth-based products. You can spend hours strolling around on a search for your own little favourite shop.
For an even more artsy experience, you can also visit the gallery of Hiroshi Abe—a popular picture-book illustrator from Asahikawa. He has illustrated over 130 animal-themed picture books with “One Stormy Night” being his most famous publication, which has also been translated into English. A fun fact of his is that he worked for 25 years at Asahiyama Zoo as a zookeeper and his experiences heavily inspired his illustrations. A visit to his gallery would make for a great day out with the family.
A stay at OMO7 Asahikawa is sure to inject extra layers of fun and wonder into your holiday to the Powder Belt.
