Asahikawa Random Blog

Hill of pink moss and field of tulips

2010-04-15T11:31:00.006+09:00

Have you ever seen anything like this?

The start of spring, after a long mean winter, pink moss (called "shiba-sakura" in Japanese which means "lawn cherry blossom") starts to bloom everywhere in Hokkaido. Takinoue town is known for "hill of pink moss" because the surface of hill is covered by pink and purple for a month.

Pink and purple definitely make people happy. Walking around the hill is a quite exercise but you get great rewards, nice view, sweet smell, and happiness.
(http://www.asahikawa-tourism.com/takinoue.html)

The best day trip from Asahikawa during May ispink moss in Takinoue town, Port Monbetsu for fresh seafood lunch, and tulip park in Yubetsu (formaly known as Kami-Yubetsu) town.

It is just beautiful. Non-tulip lovers will turn into tulip fanatics. They really do a great job to make tulips look great, too.
(http://www.asahikawa-tourism.com/kamiyubetsu.html)

Tour info:
May 8 ~ 30, 2010
(Tours are only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays)
Self tour (no guide)

Pick up from:
JR Asahikawa Station, major hotels, JR Kamikawa Station, etc

Pick up time:
8:20

Duration of the tour:
About 6 hours

Price:
6500 yen per person
(includes admissions for pink moss and tulip park 1000yen value)

The tour price does not include lunch.
Tour bus stops at Okhotsk Palace hotel in Monbetsu for lunch break.
The hotel provides lunch buffet for 1200yen.
There are many restaurants in/around Okhotsk Palace hotel.
You can go for convenience, lunch buffet or for adventure some restaurants.

What we do:
We will book the tour for you in advance.
Walk you to pick up location on the tour date.

For more information, please email us at
info@asahikawa-tourism.com

More From Tokiwa Park - Asahikawa City

2008-10-08T16:19:00.006+09:00

If you were thinking of something to do to start your day, finish your day, or waste your day away in Autumn, Tokiwa Park is your best bet.

A short distance from the city centre (about 10 minutes on foot), and a short walk from all the major city hotels, this park is perfect for a tranquil walk, or jog, and a fantastic place to park yourself and read a book.

The colors are simply amazing, boats are available for hire, and the Art Museum sits quietly at the southern end of the park. In the next few weeks the colours will disappear to make way for the "whiteout" that is the Asahikawa winter, so if you're in town now, or the next few weeks, cruise down to Tokiwa Park for some quiet time.

Note also that during the winter, most of the paths are cleared of snow allowing you to negotiate your way through the park with easy. Just make sure you have some good winter gear with you.

Last Chance for Spectacular Golf

2008-10-07T11:25:00.005+09:00

If this doesn't make you want to play golf in Asahikawa in Autumn, you probably don't like golf. The picture is the view from the 17th at Aibetsu International Country Club (AICC) taken two days ago. I shot my worst score of the season, but even that couldn't distract me from the spectacular visuals offered by this awesome course.

Each hole presented a different combination of stunning color that you simply couldn't ignore. And while the Autumn temperatures carry a touch more bite than than their balmy summer counterparts, when the sun is high, short sleeves are enough to get you through without discomfort.

The occasional fox, and deer pop out to say hello early mornings and late afternoons just to remind you that you're far removed from the city, while at the end of your round, the hot spring attached to the locker room provides the perfect tonic for sore muscles and joints.

If you want to get some luxurious golf in before the inevitable winter white out, Aibetsu ICC will stay open until the end of October weather permitting.

More Information:

Aibetsu International Country Club

Forest Country Club

Taisetsu Nature Tours (TNT)

Something Motivational

2008-09-25T16:58:00.006+09:00

Not Long to go now:

In the spirit of motivating myself and others for the start of the next snow season, and of course since Asahidake just got some overnight snow, I thought I'd post a nice pow-related pic. from Kamui Ski Links.

Asahidake Gets First Snow of the Season

2008-09-25T16:47:00.003+09:00

Asahidake got its first snowfall for the season yesterday, a couple of days earlier than last year and at the same time that the Autumn foliage is at its best. I guess the extra bit of white in there amongst the reds, greens, browns and oranges can't hurt.

Unfortunately I don't have any pics of it yet, but I'll try to get some from the guys up the mountain soon.

Stay tuned, should be a good riding season this season...

B.B.Q and Clean Up Kaimono Koen Day

2008-09-19T13:13:00.010+09:00

Presented by Panny

This week, the great guys from Panny (see HERE) did something that you don't see nearly enough of in Asahikawa. They held a daytime B.B.Q and clean up Kaimono Koen day. The mini-festival was held street side of their restaurant and provided yakitori, beer, hand made crafts, and toys for the kids to passers-by on Kaimono Koen.

The guy in the massive pink bunny suit was definitely a highlight, as were the awesome smells emanating from the twin BBQs, setup by people who clearly had a good grasp of what they were doing.

After plenty of beers and even more laughs, the entire crew formed a clean up line (with the pink bunny running shotgun) and worked their way down the length of Kaimono Koen removing any rubbish in their path.

Events like this one need to be applauded and supported. Not only do they provide great entertainment for city shoppers and residents, they show the willingness of people to promote the city area and Asahikawa in general.

Hats off to the guys from Panny, and thanks for a great day.

Start Your Karaoke Experience Here

2008-09-19T13:13:00.006+09:00

Romper Room

Romper Room is a small new Karaoke Bar in the San Roku nightlife district in Asahikawa City. With so many of the established Karaoke Bars closed in recent years, there really aren't that many places to go to belt out some of your favourite tunes without parting with a good amount of cash.

That's where Romper Room comes in. Unbelievably low priced party plans, excellent snacks and a late closing time, this is the perfect place both to kick off your evening or finish it in fine voice. The floor space is small, but efficiently utilized providing comfortable seating at the bar, bench and cushion chairs at the tables, or high chairs at the short counter by the entrance. You're sure to find something suitably comfortable on your visit.

If you have never tried Karaoke before, please consider Romper Room. Food, drink, and song, with the luxury of your own private space, what could be better?

Sapporo Winter Festival

2008-09-17T17:06:00.003+09:00

Sapporo Winter Festival

In February, thousands of people will descend on Asahikawa City to enjoy the splendor that is the Asahikawa Winter Festival, celebrating its 50th anniversary no less. At roughly the same time, Sapporo City celebrates its own winter festival, though for Sapporo, it will be the 60th anniversary.

At Asahikawa Tourism we always try to point out that Asahikawa is a central location with quick and easy access to all of Hokkaido, and with that in mind, I would suggest getting more out of our trip to Hokkaido by seeing BOTH festivals.

The Sapporo winter festival takes off on the 5th of February, the Asahikawa Festival on the 7th. Why not spend two days in Sapporo (5th & 6th) checking out the Sapporo Festival and then head up to the 'Kawa for the start of the festival here on the 7th.

If the reverse is more suitable for you, then try that. Sapporo and Asahikawa are separated by 70 minutes on the train and trains run all day.

Why not double your Winter Festival Action!

One for the Aussies - The Meat Pie

2008-09-16T17:26:00.003+09:00

Where to get an Aussie Meat Pie in Asahikawa

Is there anything better than following a day's skiing or snowboarding with a quality Aussie Meat Pie?, yeah, probably plenty of things, but there's no doubt that a pie does add a certain polish to the end of a great day out. So you'll be happy to know that you'll be able to get of Australia's finest right here in Asahikawa at the Den International Bar. That might not seem like a big deal, but trust me, after a couple of weeks in the snow you'll be craving more than one. For memory, the Den offers Beef, Steak and mushroom and chicken pies.

As a side note, those of you that are going to ride in Colorado this season, my bro. informs me that a couple of Aussie punters have their own pie shop close to the snow there too and make pretty good gear by all reports.

Enjoy.

Asahikawa Restaurants - Panny 4-5 Jyo 7 Chome

2008-09-15T16:59:00.006+09:00

Panny - Music, Food, Laughs...the International Izakaya

It seems that the more we cruise around Asahikawa, the more we become convinced that its reputation as a gourmet town is richly deserved. This week took us to Panny, an infant in terms of its age, yet a modern, spacious, beautifully presented restaurant with an internationally inspired decore and menu.

Most impressive at Panny, is its ability to provide privacy and atmosphere at the same time. Now that may seem strange, but really there's no better way to put it. Meticulously placed decorations, curtains and shades break the rooms up into subtly perceivable segments, sufficiently enough to allow you to manage your own space, but not so much that you become separated from the atmosphere of the room in general. Only rare restaurants can pull this off successfully, though I've sure many try.

The preferred choice of music is reggae, but the in-house DJ will mix it up from time to time. The food is a genuine hybrid of International influences with no individual style dominant. The owners consider Panny an International Izakaya, and as I devoured my lunch set including sweet & sour chicken, red chili pasta, naan bread with curry /bean and tuna salad dips, Italian style salad, and a mushroom and tempura prawn donburi, I figured they were probably right.

Comfort, atmosphere, great food, great music, you'll get it all at Panny. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You'll find Panny on the Main Shopping Street, Kaimono Koen in Asahikawa City, just after the 4th main intersection heading from the train station on the right.

Panny also has a sister restaurant called Delly in the San Roku party district. More on this one soon...

More Information:

Asahikawa Restaurants

Asahikawa Weather Update

2008-09-15T16:03:00.004+09:00

Summer is Hangin' in there!

Half way through August, we were saying goodbye to Summer and dusting off the snowshoes and shovels in preparation for the inevitable inundation of pow. Well, as it turns out, summer has struck back. The last few weeks have been sunny, warm to hot, and perfect for getting out and about.

The above picture (taken yesterday) is of a rice field in Toma town, famous for the Toma Limestone Caves as well as mushrooms (the rice is probably ok too). As you can see, beautifully clear sunny skies, with little cloud. Today the weather is even nicer, blue skies and a more than comfortable 24 degrees Celsius. The forecast for the rest of the week is for more of the same, so if you are visiting Asahikawa around this time, try to make the most of it. I would seriously recommend the zoo or a round of golf.

Things to do:

Places of Interest

Asahikawa Golf

Taisetsuzan National Park

Hot Springs

Biei

Furano

Tokiwa Park Asahikawa City

2008-09-15T15:21:00.005+09:00

Beautiful Walk in the Park

If you're staying in Asahikawa during mid to late Autumn, keep Tokiwa park in mind as a place for a stroll or a jog. A large and open park, located very close to the city centre, it is easily accessible on foot from any of the city hotels. During the Autumn, the park is at its most striking, with the diverse nature offering an incredible palette of colour as a backdrop for whatever activity you wish to undertake there.

Work your way through the park and you'll soon reach the expansive banks of the Ishikari river between the Asahibashi and Shinbashi bridges. From here, you can walk along the river along the bicycle path, or perhaps rent a bicycle from the small shop at the rear of the Library Car Park. You'll find the library at the north end of the park. A bicycle will obviously allow you to cover a lot more ground, and during a nice clear day is a great way to navigate the fringes of the city. Bicycle rental will cost you about ￥500 with the presentation of some form of ID.

In the centre of the park you'll find some small shops selling drinks and snacks, as well as plenty of places to take seat and have a rest. For a further alternative, with a slighly more cultural flavour, at the Southern corner of the park you'll find the Asahikawa Museum of Art. More on the Museum in another post.

Other Places of Interest:

Asahikawa Places of Interest

Asahiyama Zoo

Kamui Ski Links

Taisetsuzan National Park

Biei

Furano

BieiLand

Asahikawa Bars - The Den International Bar

2008-09-13T11:31:00.006+09:00

The Den International Bar

The Den is one of Asahikawa's original International Bars. Featuring a sensational beer menu, a host of international food, and a large screen projector , it is a great place to spend a few evenings when in Asahikawa. The relatively large floor space (by Japanese standards) allows comfort of dining and drinking and features an Australian pub-sized pool table.

More Information:

The Den Asahikawa

Asahikawa Bars

Live Music Asahikawa

Asahikawa Places of Interest

Hot Yoga is Coming!

2008-09-11T18:04:00.004+09:00

Hot Yoga in Okuno from December

As far as I can tell, Hot Yoga is,...Yoga at 38 degrees Celsius and 65% humidity. What that does for the body I'm not sure, but for the Yoga professionals, those wanting to experience a new style or technique, or simply those trying to do something good for their body, this could be worth a try.

Hot Yoga will start in December in Okuno Department Store Asahikawa.

Give it a try. I'll write more as soon as I try it myself.

Rumoi - Don't Forget the Beach!

2008-09-11T17:00:00.006+09:00

Rumoi - Not too far away and plenty to do!

For those that get tired of forests and mountains and start to get sentimental about the sea, Rumoi is your best option.

Rumoi is about 1 hour west of Asahikawa by car and offers three activities worthy of mention. The first of these is camping on the beach. If you like being surrounded by people, camp on the beach during weekends, national holidays or school holidays, the scene is best described by the pic below;

Fishing is also a popular pastime in Rumoi. The sea is adequately stocked with flatfish (flounder), a tasty white-fleshed fish that will add a bit of DIY to your beach B.B.Q later in the evening or the next day. Flatfish can be caught from the beach, off the rocks or at any of the many mini-harbours used by the fishing vessels. Some places won't permit fishing, so the best rule of thumb is that if you see people fishing, chances are you're good to go.

And finally, in the event that you don't catch any fish, or don't even bother to try, there are some fantastic dock-side fish markets ready to stock you neck deep in the freshest, finest, tastiest seafood to come out of the Sea of Japan. A good deal cheaper than any supermarket, these places are extremely beneficial for those that like flounder, octopus, scallops, squid and sea cucumber as well as other seasonal fare.

Asahikawa Restaurants - Buffet with style

2008-09-11T16:12:00.009+09:00

Lilas Restaurant

Lilas combines the comfort of a spacious modern layout, convenience of a city location and excellence in the preparation of local produce to give customers a thoroughly satisfying dining experience.

Not really what you would expect from either a hotel or buffet restaurant, but then, exceeding expectations tends to be the norm at the Loisir. Lilas carefully combines Asian and Western influences using local seasonal produce where possible, presenting stunningly original dishes that beg to be tasted at least once.

More Information

Asahikawa Restaurants

Asahikawa Restaurants - Togen Chinese Restaurant

2008-09-10T19:34:00.005+09:00

Togen - Chinese at The Grand Hotel Asahikawa

Togen recently re-opened after renovations. The restaurant offered a magnificent lunch course for ￥1,000, including three popular dishes, tea, and dessert.

Its difficult to imagine that anyone would be dissatisfied with value of that calibre. The food was, on the whole, outstanding, though I would advise those with a weak tolerance for chili to check whether the kitchen can go conservative on the red stuff. Those like myself that don't mind a bit of a kick will be in flavour country.

Togen is open for lunch and dinner, and with its food quality, service, and location, combined with the elegant flair of the Grand Hotel, represents a fine choice for those wishing to dilute their Japanese food intake with some different Asian flavours.

More Information:

Asahikawa Restaurants

Camping - Great Places to Camp Close to Asahikawa

2008-09-10T19:05:00.004+09:00

Camping - Lake Shumarinai

There are so many great camping locations close to Asahikawa and scattered all over Hokkaido.

The first of these that I'll let you know about is the Lake Shumarinai Auto Campground. A short distance from Horokanai, which itself is a short distance north-west of Asahikawa city, Lake Shumarinai is Japan's largest man-made lake. Basically drive in, set up shop on one of the conveniently leveled tent locations close to the shore and you're ready to have a relaxing day or two.

Reasonable enough bathrooms are available at the top of the driveway, while a large wash area is available for washing plates and cooking utensils and the like.

Fishing at different parts of the lake is good, canoeing is available as well as a lake cruise and paddle boats for a fee. There is a great look out on your right when nearing the camping area allowing you a delightful view of the greater part of the lake on a nice clear day.

If you camp during the week and away from public holidays, there's a good chance you'll be camping on your own. There's a lot to be said for being given the feeling that you have the entire lake to yourself.

Something Interesting About Horokanai

2008-09-10T16:08:00.008+09:00

Horokanai - Big on Soba, Small on Population, Not so Warm in Winter

Horokanai town is as big as one third of Tokyo prefecture, 767.03km², but the population is only1,811. The population density of this town is 2.36 per km² , the lowest of any Japanese town. Luckily (or not), if Horokanai were considered a village, it would rank as the second least populated village in Japan.

Horokanai's other talking point is its claim to the lowest recorded temperature in Japan, a balmy -41.2 degrees Celsius. This record is not official however, as due to its size, Horokanai didn't have in their possession an official thermometer at the time of recording. So even though Horokanai claim the record, Asahikawa are the official coldest temperature title holder at -41 degrees.

That's why we have such good snow!

Asahikawa Golf - Asahikawa Intl. Country Club

2008-09-10T15:40:00.005+09:00

Asahikawa International Country Club

Just to keep the golf theme going (the last post was about Shirogane Golf Club), I thought I'd throw in a plug for my favourite course close to Asahikawa, the Asahikawa International Country Club in Aibetsu.

Aibetsu Town is known for its famous Maitake mushrooms as well as its mushroom festival (second Sunday in September), but is also home to one of the finest golf clubs to be found within easy reach of the city.

During the week the prices are quite reasonable and the traffic is slight. The course is perfectly maintained and challenging in length. Long par 5's are the order of the day, though most have very forgiving wide fairways. The course is light on water hazards but full of carefully placed sand traps ensuring several visits to the beach during your round.

At the end of your 18 you can relax in fine style in the clubhouse restaurant (excellent for Ramen), then take a hot spring bath in the Onsen area.

Aibetsu and the Asahikawa International Country Club are a good 40 minutes from Asahikawa city, but well worth the trip.

Golf Asahikawa - Shirogane Golf Club

2008-09-09T17:30:00.006+09:00

Shirogane Golf Club

As far as value for money golf courses close to Asahikawa go, Shirogane Golf Club must be considered in the top 5. Perfectly maintained, picturesque, uncrowded and having a distinct country club look and feel, you would be excused for thinking that it was a strictly 'Membership Only' affair. This thankfully is not the case, and although you really do get a sense of golf extravagance as staff rush to your car to take the clubs out, as soon as you walk through the front doors you are quickly put at ease by the welcoming friendly staff.

Fully automatic, remote-control buggies guide you around the course with ease, allowing you the luxury of taking in the spectacular mountains of the Taisetsuzan National Park which dominate the horizon at different parts of the course.

The course itself is professionally maintained throughout and provides a comfortable balance between forgiving fairways and 'gone for good' OB gullies. The dog legs tend to be taxing following inaccurate drives, but some do offer a chance to cut corners and make shots up.

More Information 'HERE'

Asahikawa Golf

TNT Golf Tours

TNT Park Golf Tours

Samurai Finish 8th in International Cup

2008-09-06T18:36:00.004+09:00

The Japanese Samurai Football Team have ended their 2008 International Cup Campaign in Australia with a loss in the playoff for 7th and 8th place against the U.S.A.

All things considered, 8th out of 16 teams is not a bad result for the Samurai who showed good spirit to convincingly win two matches during the tournament.

The final score was:

U.S.A: 14.12.96

Japan: 02.04.16

Better Luck next time

Soba Festival - Horokanai

2008-09-06T17:24:00.005+09:00

Horokanai Soba Festival

This year, the Horokanai Soba festival is actually being called a Soba Expo, and spans three days rather than the standard two. For those that don't know, soba is buckwheat noodle. People outside of Japan (in particular people from Europe) would be more familiar with buckwheat grain, served like rice as a side to steak, goulash, or stew. In Japan, the grain is ground into a fine powder in the same way wheat is, and is ultimately turned into noodle to be served hot or cold at a soba or izakaya restaurant.

Horokanai, as well as regularly featuring on the national news for its 'Freeze the B...s Off a Brass Monkey' cold temperatures in winter, is Japan's number one soba producer, least populated town, and holder of one of the best soba festivals (expos) in Japan.

Aside from making it possible to sample dozens of unique soba styles, visitors to the festival are able to try and buy non-traditional soba creations. In the past, the festival has provided soba crepes, soba bread, soba cakes, soba beer, soba ice cream, soba mochi, and soba bagels to name just a few.

As a final thought, there are plenty of activities to distract one from overdosing on soba alone. A large stage in the center of the festival grounds serves up non-stop song and dance. There's a jumping castle for the kids, craft sales for the interested, and a soba tractor exhibit for the manly.

Final word; 'Well worth the scenic drive, and a couple of hours well spent'

Asahikawa Ramen - Japan's #1 Choice

2008-09-04T12:56:00.004+09:00

Asahikawa Ramen

In short, ramen is noodle soup. Not so complicated you would think, but in reality countless numbers of ramen variations exist in Japan, specific to region, city and shop.

Most ramen broths are made using pork or chicken (or both) as the main bases. In addition, shops (or regions) will add any number of ingredients such as fish, beef, garlic, mushrooms, seaweed and others to make their broth distinctive.

Asahikawa is a very cold place in winter and the ramen made is Asahikawa is a little heavier than that made in other parts of the country. This extra heartiness is what gives Asahikawa ramen the unique flavour so popular all over Japan (and more recently internationally).

More Information About Asahikawa Ramen HERE

Asahikawa Restaurants - Izakaya Tenkin

2008-09-04T12:35:00.005+09:00

Izakaya Tenkin (4 Jyo)

There is plenty to like about Tenkin Izakaya. Excellent food and a rich traditional atmosphere, it is definitely a restaurant that will leave you feeling like you've had the authentic Japanese dining experience.

With a convenient city location, plenty of comfortable seating, menus in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean, and a wealth of local delicacies to tempt the palette, put Tenkin of your list of "things to try in Asahikawa" without hesitation.

You'll love it.

Tenkin Information:

Style - Menu - Courses

Location Map

Samurai Defeated by Canada

2008-09-04T12:02:00.003+09:00

Japan has been defeated by Canada in their finals match at the Australian Football International Cup played yesterday.

Unfortunately the Samurai failed to even get a goal on the board and were defeated by a total of 41 points in a very one sides affair.

The result is a disappointment for the Samurai whose previous two performances had been outstanding.

The finals score was;

Canada: 6.8.44

def.

Japan: 0.3.03

So many places to do nothing

2008-09-03T14:18:00.003+09:00

One of the great things about Hokkaido is that as well as being filled with places to see, do, and experience, it also has a great number of places to do, well, ...nothing.

Hokkaido provides many out of the way places that allow people to escape into nature. Those people that don't mind the odd bit of seclusion to recharge the batteries from work or personal pressures will find a great deal of comfort in the mountains, rivers and lakes of Hokkaido.

Out of the way places

2008-09-02T17:23:00.005+09:00

How about going for a drive out to this place. Unfortunately not as easy as it sounds. This is a quiet little place tucked away in the heart of Shirogane Onsen. With the only access being a cumbersome, narrow, dirt road, I have never seen this place highlighted in any tourist brochures or magazines.

That's a real shame since this place is quite stunning, especially on a clear day when the sun is high and really exaggerates the pale blue sulphur rich water.

Oh, and by the way, the picture you'll find two posts ago was taken by Shunichi ABE at the same location. Guess it shows you the difference between professional and amateur.

Japan Smash India in International Cup

2008-09-01T14:08:00.002+09:00

Japan have thrashed India in their International Australian Football cup encounter today. To say that Japan were too strong is an understatement of mammoth proportions with the scoreline reading

Japan - 15.16.106

India - 00.00.00

Japan now have two wins from three games and look to be improving the quality of their play. I'll update you on their progress in the upcoming finals.

Shunichi ABE - Have a look at this

2008-08-30T16:05:00.006+09:00

Here is one of my favourite pics of all time. This was taken just outside of central Biei by talented Biei photographer ShunichiAbe.

There are many spectacular locations for taking great photos around Biei all year round, and I would definitely recommend it as a sightseeing location.

More Information:

Biei

Bieiland

Day Trip Ideas #3 - Biei Part 2 - BieiLand

2008-08-29T17:07:00.007+09:00

So you stopped by Zerubu no Oka (Day trip ideas #2), and are back on the road (Route 237) taking you to central Biei.

As you make your way down the hill leading into town, you'll notice a small intersection at the bottom. Take a right at this intersection and follow the winding road up the hill. At the top there will be a left turn with a little sign to showing you the way to the Northwestern Hill Observatory Park. The car park is on the left, while on the right you'll small galleries and a small cafe style ice cream shop to grab a snack.

The Northwestern Hill Observatory Park is beautiful, allowing you to capture Biei's rolling hills from all sides, with the entire Taisetsuzan Mountain Range as the backdrop. In the galleries section, look for BieiLand, the gallery of famous photographer Shunichi ABE. Here you'll be able to purchase amazingly beautiful postcards, posters, desktop and wall calendars or some exceptional photography. All of Mr. Abe's work is raw, that is, not digitally or otherwise altered.

This is most certainly a worthwhile stop on you visit to Biei. Give it a try!.

More Information:

Samurai Defeat Samoa in Massive Upset

2008-08-29T16:32:00.003+09:00

Australian Football International Cup Update:

The Japan Samurai defeated the more fancied Samoa in their International Cup clash in Australia.

The final score was

Japan 8.7.55 to Samoa 4.7.31

The 24 point victory margin is a great result for the Samurai who went into the match as underdogs.

Japan's next match is against India where Japan's form should see them start as favourites. Whatever that result proves to be, the Samurai should be well pleased with their performance against Samoa and will hopefully improve further as the cup continues.

Kubokura Satomi - Asahikawa Athlete

2008-08-28T15:32:00.005+09:00

Beijing Update #3

This one is really a bit of a stretch, but we were on a roll and had to mention one more Asahikawa Athlete, Satomi Kubokura. She finished in 11th place in the women's 400m hurdles.

Though we've tried, we can't actually verify that she's from Asahikawa at all, so if you learn something different, drop us a line. Until then, we'll claim her as an Asahikawa local, similar to the Australian tradition of claiming anything good to come out of New Zealand as Australian (Russell Crowe, Crowded House).

In any event (pardon the pun),

Congratulations!! Kubokura Satomi

Shinji Takahira - Asahikawa Bronze

2008-08-28T15:02:00.004+09:00

Beijing Olympics Update #2:

Shinji Takahira (pictured on the left), born in Asahikawa in 1984, was part of Japan's 'almost-all conquering' 4 x100m relay team in Beijing. Had the team conquered Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, they would have walked away with the Gold Medal, but as it turned out had to settle for the bronze.

This is nevertheless a spectacular result for Japan, a nation not noted as a track & field contender. For Shinji Takahira the result bears extra significance since he is Hokkaido's first Track representative in the last 48 years.

Congratulations!! Shinji Takahira

Masae Ueno - Asahikawa Gold

2008-08-28T14:26:00.004+09:00

Beijing Olympics Update:

This one is also just a little late...well, only about a week. Nonetheless,...

Masae Ueno

wins the gold medal in the 70kg weight division of the Women's Judo Competition.

She was born in Asahikawa in 1979 and this is her second gold medal after claiming victory in the same event in Athens 4 years ago.

Congratulations!! Masae Ueno

Asahikawa - Get some Soup Curry

2008-08-27T19:51:00.003+09:00

Although its name leaves little to the imagination, soup curry will surprise you both with its appearance and with its rich flavour.

In a landscape of cuisine dominated by elegance and simplicity, soup curry seems not to succeed in either discipline, yet has grown in popularity in a short period of time to become one of Hokkaido's sought after delicacies, particularly on its home ground, Sapporo.

More information on Soup Curry Here

PS: Soup Curry is totally awesome in winter. -20 degrees Celsius will usually get the body craving some extra warmth.

TNT Tours In Autumn

2008-08-27T18:54:00.004+09:00

With Autumn rapidly approaching, TNT (Taisetsu Nature Tours) wish to announce the availability of professionally guided tours to different locations in the Taisetsuzan National Park during the Taisetsuzan's most stunning season.

TNT will save you time, hassle, and money and show you a side of the Taisetsuzan that only those lucky enough have had the privilege of seeing.

The availability of Tours is strictly limited so please contact us at Asahikawa Tourism to make the appropriate arrangements for your Autumn tour.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Asahikawa this Autumn.

Contact:

info@asahikawa-tourism.com

How About a Weekend Here in Autumn

2008-08-27T18:47:00.004+09:00

I was just writing some stuff about the Taisetsuzan National Park and came across this picture from last Autumn. I completely forgot how awesome Tenninkyo is.

Seriously, how about spending a weekend at an Onsen Hotel surrounded by nature of that calibre. There are several great hiking trails nearby and plenty of opportunities to take pictures that will make everyone jealous. I love this place.

Day Trip Ideas #2 - Biei Part 1 - Zurubu no Oka

2008-08-27T12:35:00.011+09:00

Zerubu no Oka

There are many areas to cover on a trip to Biei, and although Biei is an easy day trip out of Asahikawa, there really is much more to it than can be covered in one day (unless of course you just want to snap a picture and run).

Biei is about 30 minutes by car, south east of Asahikawa traveling along Route237. If you are lucky enough to have a hire car with an English Navi. system, I strongly recommend using the back country roads since they are much more picturesque, though can be difficult to navigate for first time travellers.

This brings us to the first stop, just before descending the small hill to get you into Biei city.

Zerubu no Oka

This is a place for lovers of color, flowers and photography. You can casually stroll around the park for a good hour taking in the spectacular color. If you are tired or otherwise incapacitated, hire a four wheeler to get you around using the paths carved out in the endless sea of color. Whether you want to just stop for a while and stretch your legs or take a long walk surrounded by beautiful color, Zerubu no Oka is a pleasant, free, pit-stop on your way in or out of Biei.

Samurai Update - Kiwis prove far too strong

2008-08-27T12:15:00.004+09:00

Japan played its first game in the International Australian Football Cup this morning, but were unfortunately outplayed by a strong and skilled New Zealand outfit. The final score was

New Zealand 13.13-91

Japan 00.02-02

And if you're wondering what that all means,

13.13-91 is; 13 goals 13 points = (13x6) + (13x1) = 78 +13 = 91 points TOTAL

and for Japan

00.02-02, meaning 0 goals, 2 points = (0x6) + (2x1) = 0 + 2 = 2 points TOTAL.

As you can tell, the game was not that close, but the Japanese team should take heart from the fact that New Zealand do have a very strong team with plenty of experience.

Japan's next match is against Samoa in two days time, a match which is bound to be played at a frenetic pace since both sides boast a good stable of speedsters.

I'll let you know how that one goes.

Asahikawa Day Trip Idea #1 - Show me the Lavender

2008-08-19T19:23:00.004+09:00

If you want the centre of Hokkaido and the associated benefits of perfect access to all corners of this great island, look no further than humble, rural, ready to bust out Asahikawa.

Over the next few weeks I'll try to post as many day trip ideas from Asahikawa as I can possibly remember making over the last six years. Lets start the count at #1 and see how we go. This one is titled "Show me the Lavender", and if you know anything at all about Hokkaido, you'll know that we can only be talking about Naka Furano, everyone's favourite flower destination.

Furano is about an hour south of Asahikawa using the major roads, and about 50% longer if you want to use the scenic rural roads (these are actually quicker during the peak tourist season when the major roads are full of tourist buses). For the Biei lovers, please don't panic, we haven't forgotten about you, we'll cover Biei in a different post (For those that are interested, Biei is closer to Asahikawa than Furano and by all accounts should have been mentioned first,...what can I tell you,...Furano came to mind first!).

If you're into the lavender and flowers, you need to head to Tomita Farm. The last three weeks of July should be about right. Once there you'll be able to see, smell, photograph and eat lavender (...lavender ice cream at least). Tomita Farm has many great gift shops dedicated to lavender related products, you'll be sure to find something you like.

Naka Furano access information can be found here.

San Roku Matsuri (Asahikawa's Summer Festival)

2008-08-19T18:49:00.004+09:00

Yes I know, it was over two and a half weeks ago, but here are some pics from the San Roku Matsuri of 2008 anyway. Those that made it will remember great food, lots of color and plenty of noise. See you there next year.

See the zoo at night

2008-08-19T15:32:00.004+09:00

Just to show you that the fine people at Asahiyama Zoo are not getting lackadaisical about their popularity and recent success, they have recently trialed a week long stint of leaving the zoo open until 9pm.

This serves the dual purpose of allowing a unique view of the zoo's animals as well as a fantastic night view of the Asahikawa's city lights. Quite pretty on a nice clear evening.

My guess is that the zoo is trialing the late close to check its financial viability in the hope of permanently extending the zoo's open hours in the future. We don't know for sure at this stage, but we will endeavour to check it out with the management.

Unfortunately, for the time being at least, the current run of late closes has run its course, and while it's a bit disappointing for those that were unable to make it, don't despair, the zoo is quite cool during the day too.

Here are a couple of pics of Asahiyama Zoo at night.

Japanese eating champ wins satay comp

2008-07-29T13:05:00.003+09:00

With the Olympics just around the corner, the Australian International Cup after that, I thought I'd continue the sporting theme with something a little more odd. Two days ago in Singapore, 30-year-old Japanese Food Fighter, Takeru Kobayashi, won Singapore's Major League Eating competition by consuming 5.4 kilograms of satay in 12 minutes.

Mr. Kobayashi, who tips the scales at a less-than-staggering 60kg, won the contest on Sunday against 24-year-old American Joey Chestnut (102kg), who swallowed 4.1 kilograms of satay.

Having narrowly lost New York's hot dog eating contest earlier this year, Kobayashi was obviously pleased with his dominant display in Singapore. His next challenge is a trip back to the United States for a hamburger eating contest in September.

I'll keep you updated on the progress of that one.

Support The Samurai

2008-07-19T13:39:00.015+09:00

August 27th to September 6th

Japan will participate in the The 2008 International Australian Football Cup starting this August, and although Australian Rules Football is unknown in Japan, the Samurais have achieved good results in past competitions.

Japan's first match will be on the 27th of August this year against the title holder New Zealand. The second match will be on the 29th against Samoa, with Japan's final match against India on September 1st.

Participating nations in 2008 are;

Canada Northwind

Denmark Vikings

Great Britain Bulldogs

Ireland

Nauru

Papua New Guinea Mosquitoes

Samoa

Swedish Elks

China Red Demons

Finland Icebreakers

India

Japan

New Zealand Falcons

Peace Team

South Africa

USA

Carn! The Samurais

Buying Electrical Goods

2008-07-18T19:43:00.004+09:00

Japan is definitely the place to buy electronic goods. In Asahikawa, the best place to go to find all things electrical and electronic is Yamada Denki. You will have to get there by bus of taxi but the trip is short and well worth it. You will find everything you need under one roof.

The beauty of shopping for electronic goods in Japan is that everything the latest and greatest, and while the price may not seem altogether cheap, bear in mind that the Japanese product is likely to be a model or two ahead of its international counterparts.

Asahiyama Zoo

2008-07-17T19:09:00.005+09:00

No Asahikawa information source is complete without mentioning Asahiyama Zoo at least once, it is after all Asahikawa's number one tourist attraction, and the most popular zoo in Japan.

With unique enclosure ideas, the zoo's management have endeavoured to increase the animals' activity, making them more playful, curious and relaxed, and ultimately more enjoyable to observe.

With the increased success of the zoo have come substantial annual increases in zoo visitors, and you will find it quite busy on most days, with weekends busiest of all. Despite this, the zoo is well laid out and congestion tends to be managed well. Entry is ridiculously low at about 890yen making the Asahiyama Zoo an inexpensive, fun day out.

More Asahiyama Zoo information HERE.

Playing Golf in Asahikawa

2008-07-17T13:36:00.008+09:00

Hokkaido is one of Japan's best golfing destinations offering stunning mountain scenery, beautifully designed and maintained courses and all of the value added services you would expect from any fine country club.

The Asahikawa summer is short but tends to be dry, so the stifling humidity commonplace in the southern islands of Japan is not a factor in a round of golf here. Fresh mountain air is the order of the day at most courses, and even on the hottest summer days a round of golf is still comfortable.

Asahikawa is home is to many fine courses and is not as expensive as you may have imagined. The golf season starts in late April and finishes in early November. Autumn, though relatively chilly, is a great time to play golf while enjoying the splendid autumn colours of the Taisetsu Mountain Range.

Omikoshi 御神輿

2008-07-17T13:00:00.003+09:00

Omikoshi is best described as a portable shrine. If a festival is held for the purpose of celebrating a particular God, then that God is thought to reside inside the shrine. Often, people climb on the omikoshi and stand on top of it, all the while providing cheerful chants to motivate the carriers. Omikoshi are large and generally extremely heavy, ranging in weight from a few hundred kilograms to a few tons, and thus requiring a substantial labour-force to carry. Its a noisy, traditional spectacle that is worthwhile witnessing if you get the chance.

Niko - Traditional Japanese Restaurant (二幸本店)

2008-07-16T21:13:00.007+09:00

If you read the "sushi" section of the Asahikawa Tourism Website you would have discovered that the conveyor belt style of sushi dining is the equivalent of fast-food in Japan, a type of "MacSushi" if you will. If you want to try the 'top shelf gear' when it comes to sushi, a traditional Japanese Sushi-ya is your best option.

To this end, I would recommend Niko without hesitation. The freshest seafood, cheerful and friendly staff, reasonable prices, modern comfortable decor, and perfect city location are all that you would want from a restaurant. Far from simply being a sushi restaurant, Niko offers an elaborate menu filled with traditional Japanese delicacies, many of which you are unlikely to have tried before.

Niko is open for lunch or dinner and can be found on 3jyo 7chome on the ground level next to Okuno department store.

Andon - Japanese Paper Floats

2008-07-15T17:14:00.005+09:00

Andon are huge floats made primarily out of timber and paper (with some extras) that get lit up from the inside and are paraded by Andon teams during festival parades.

The floats are either dragged or carried, and if you chance upon the appropriate festival, you can see them crashing head-on into each other in a battle of the strongest (as in Numata, as small town a short distance south west of Asahikawa).

When you consider the fact that andon are carried or dragged, please note that at some festivals they can measure 7m high x 12m long x 3m wide and can weigh up to 5 tons.

Very impressive indeed.

Summer Fireworks in Hokkaido

2008-07-15T16:38:00.004+09:00

Most of the Japanese festivals’ main event is the fireworks display. During the summer festivals, organizers launch more fireworks than you may have expected possible, but it seems people can’t get enough.

The fireworks display marking the launch of the San Roku Festival in Asahikawa is impressive, both for the number of shells launched as well as the scenic river-side location. However, for those wanting a little more bang for their buck, the most comprehensive fireworks display in Hokkaido takes place in Obihiro (a beautiful small city south west of Asahikawa).

By way of comparison, a standard summer fireworks show will fire somewhere in the vicinity of 2000-3000 shells. The Obihiro fireworks festival will launch about 20,000 shells and reduce the life expectancy of many a house pet. Even the smaller fireworks shows in Obihiro fire about 10,000 fireworks. Obihiro is quite close to Asahikawa, so if you find yourself here in summer and love to watch fireworks, consider it for a really fun short trip.

Those that don't have the time to travel the country-side too much will have to settle for the Summer Festival fireworks in Asahikawa, not a bad consolation prize really.

Yukata / Jinbei - Summer Festival Fashion

2008-07-11T17:15:00.004+09:00

A yukata is a summer kimono for girls. Unlike the kimono, it is relatively easy to wear and priced reasonably. A jinbei is the summer wear for men, a loose two piece summery wear usually made out of cotton or linen, it’s great for the warm festival season. Summer, and the festival season, is the time people really enjoy dressing up in yukata and jinbei. You can buy them at department stores, kimono shops, or on-line. The price range is from a few thousand yen for a complete set to,…well, the sky’s the limit.

Beer vs Happoshu

2008-07-09T14:09:00.011+09:00

Just to keep the beer theme for this month rolling along, I thought I might quickly explain the difference between the Japanese beer and happoshu (the other Japanese beer).

Happoshu is a low malt (sometimes no malt) beer. With Japanese beer taxation based on % "malt content", beer brewers have been experimenting with low malt brews as a means of keeping costs down and passing those cost savings on to the consumer. For this reason you'll find a standard-sized can of happoshu about 50yen cheaper than its full malt counterpart.

As the techniques for brewing happoshu have improved with time, the taste has increasingly mirrored the taste of full malt beers, though it is still some way off according to seasoned beer consumers.

Japanese brewers spawn new varieties of happoshu faster than Japanese car manufacturers produce new models, so you will have to consume a few barrel loads of brew before you settle on your favourite (or decide that its altogether not for you).

Please tell us your favourite Japanese drink by taking the poll on the right side of this page.

Asahikawa San Roku Festival 2008

2008-07-08T15:54:00.003+09:00

The promo poster for this year's San Roku Matsuri (festival) has been released, well, to us anyway,...everybody else probably got it three weeks ago. In any event, if you are not already geared up for it, or alternatively don't have a great deal of information about it, here is what you can expect (in no particular order);

(1) Ice cold beer

(2) Fireworks (a very tidy display riverside)

(3) Traditional Dance

(4) Ice cold beer

(5) Quality Festival Food (more on this later)

(6) Traditional Taiko Drumming

(7) Not so traditional Taiko Drumming

(8) Mikoshi Parade

(9) Asahikawa Ramen (best in Japan)

(10) Lots more...

Beer is listed twice because with the expected hot/humid weather you'll really appreciate it.

Anyway, we'll post more info soon,

Here's the poster

See you at the festival

Beer Gardens

2008-07-01T14:17:00.003+09:00

One of the great things about the city during the summer is that its never really difficult to find a beer garden to enjoy an ice cold beer outside. Probably the easiest option is the Kaimono Koen (4jyo / 7chome) beer garden, about 7 minutes walk from the station straight up Kamiono Koen, on the right just before you reach 4 jyo. Great local brews from the Taisetsu Ji Microbrewery can be sampled as well as the standard Japanese favourites.

A slightly more conservative option is the beer garden at the top of the Terminal Hotel (next to Asahikawa JR Station). It suffers a little from not being street-level, but does offer a broad choice of food and drink as well as a festival-like atmosphere.

Which ever you decide on, you'll find it fun, relaxing and pleasant to be outside.

Asahikawa Winter Festival

2008-06-21T19:33:00.006+09:00

The date for the 50th annual Asahikawa Winter Festival has been announced. The 2009 festival will be held from the 7th to the 11th of February with a festival launch party to be held on the 6th.

Although we have not confirmed the full details as yet, the International Ice Sculpture Competition will start on the 7th with the sculpting teams working through the night to finish on the 8th. The sculptures will be displayed until the 11th of February. More information can be found HERE, and we will post further details as they come to us.

Until then, the flier below will have to suffice.

Restaurant Search - Deden (ででん)

2008-06-20T16:11:00.007+09:00

Deden is a generously sized Japanese Izakaya in the San Roku　quarter in the heart of Asahikawa City. Expecting the standard Izakaya fare, we were surprised to find an unusually elaborate menu, rich with interesting adaptations of recognized Izakaya dishes.

The beauty of the restaurant is not so much the novel approach to standard fare, though this is major bonus for seasoned Izakaya campaigners, but more so the multitude of choices available from the menu.　Sashimi, tempura, grilled fish, yakitori, nabe, soups, and Chinese-influenced dishes are all available in many different varieties. Lovers of the more exotic will be excited to find stewed tripe, sashimi (raw) liver, stewed beef tendon, 50-50 deep fried octopus, venison, or tempura crab.

With the help of Asahikawa Tourism, the Deden menu is soon going to be available in English and Chinese, making Deden a great choice for excellent dining without communication difficulties.

As a last note, for the love of all things tasty,

PLEASE TRY THE ICE-BREAD !!!

More info on 50-50 octopus and ice-bread HERE

New TNT Blog from Q

2008-06-20T14:06:00.008+09:00

For those people that like their nature information with a little more credibility than my random rants, you'll be happy to know that a very good friend of ours at Asahikawa Tourism and TNT member, 'Q', (a.k.a Booster, a.k.a Rocket, a.k.a Grizzly Man . . . actually I just made these up) has started a new blog from Asahidake. Q is a park ranger at Asahidake making him the most reliable source of tourist and weather information for Asahidake Onsen and the Taisetsu National Park. Check out his blog for new and up to the minute information on the mountains in the Taisetsuzan, ECO Tourism and all things Nature.

You can find Q's blog HERE

Something for this summer

2008-06-19T14:21:00.003+09:00

If you're wondering how to best spend your time this summer in Asahikawa, definitely consider park golf.

The cheaper, shorter, less complicated baby brother of "real golf", park gold is one of the best ways to escape the city and get some fresh air, not that the Asahikawa air is unclean, ...you know what I mean. With so many great Park Golf courses accessible on foot, by bicycle or by car, there really is no excuse for not trying it out at least once. You'll be happy that you did. It's amazing how therapeutic taking your frustrations out on a small little ball can be when you're surrounded by nature. We'll be posting locations, prices and the like soon. Until then, happy park golfing.

Hokkaido Pimped Vans

2008-05-10T16:44:00.004+09:00

If you are planning on driving in Asahikawa, or spend enough time here, you are more than likely to run into one of these punters. With more bodywork than actual car, these guys do a surprisingly good job of not taking up too much road.

Look for them on this the road this summer

more pics here

Otokoyama Park

2008-04-29T16:03:00.003+09:00

Otokoyama is one of Asahikawa's most famous local sake brewers. If you go to any popular Japanese restaurant in your home town, you will always see it offered as the finest sake from Japan. Otokoyama sake brewery is located in Nagayama, in the northern suburbs of Asahikawa and if you continue past it heading north, you will find Otokoyama Nature Park at the top of the hill.

The park is made up of a web of narrow paths with slight gradients making it ideal for those looking for a quiet hike in beautiful scenery. The variety of flowers is a treat for photographers and nature lovers.

The park is most popular during the spring at which time visitors flock to the park to view Hokkaido's largest natural garden of Dog Toothed Violets (Katakuri). Definitely worth seeing if you are in Asahikawa in spring.

Otokoyama Nature Park

Address: Higashi-yama, Asahikawa
Phone: (0166)57-2131

Open
April 19 to May 11
10：00am to 5:00pm
Admission: Free
Parking space: 500

How to get there
30 min by bus
Dohoku Bus from city, get off at “Otokoyama Koen”

Number 2 To Nayoro (The Express skips the Otokoyama Koen stop so please check the schedule),

Number 5 To Aibetsu (via Pippu),

Number 32 To Pippu Ski Area

25 min by car
Drive Route 40 to north. Turn left 100 meters before the first tunnel then right at the old tunnel enterance.

Japanese Vending Machines

2008-04-25T16:55:00.004+09:00

If Hong Kong can boast the highest population density of any city in the world, Japan can definitely boast the highest vending machine density of any country in the world, with the number of vending machines in action by the end of 2007 standing at a lazy 5,405,300.

The reason for such a staggering number is primarily their convenience, but we're not particularly concerned with that. What is interesting however is the type of item that can be procured using vending machines in Japan.

Here they are, and this is by no means an exhaustive list, the search continues...

Food / beverage

Canned drink

Bottled drink

Carton drink

Cup drink

Alcoholic drink

Nuts

Chewing gum

Candy

Bread

Snacks

Cup Ramen

Burgers

Canned Ramen

Rice

Eggs

Hot Dogs

Curry

Spaghetti

Ice Cream

Popcorn

Spaghetti

Ice Cream

Tobacco

Cigarettes

Cigarette lighters

Tickets

Train tickets

Food tickets

Postage stamps

Horse racing tickets

Payment stamps

Random

Postcards

Newspapers

Magazines

Books

Comic Books

Cards

Adult Videos

Umbrellas

Telephone cards

Fishing Bait

Used schoolgirls underwear (banned since 1995)

Toast

Condoms

Tissues

Phone battery chargers

Travel insurance

Disposable cameras

Stag Beatles

Dry Ice

Read the complete article:

Onsen Etiquette

2008-04-24T19:44:00.003+09:00

There is definitely a strong element of ritual when it comes to taking an onsen, but really there’s nothing at all difficult about it as long as you remember some simple basics.

The golden rules for taking an onsen (or sento) in Japan are as follows;

Wash top to bottom in the wash area BEFORE going in.
DO NOT bring your large bath towel into the bath (it stays with your clothes in the changing area)
Make sure to rinse thoroughly so as not to carry soap suds into the bath with you when you go in.
Remember that an onsen is a bath, not a swimming pool, don’t treat it as a thing for entertainment.
Soak for a while but do not soak your courtesy towel in the water. Most people leave it by the side of the bath or fold it in half and place it on their heads.
After your first soak, get out and scrub down in the wash area once more (optional).
You are now ready to hop as many baths as you can find.
Please also remember to be mindful of your volume so as not to disturb the tranquility of others.

For the complete article, go here

Daisetsuzan vs. Taisetsuzan

2008-04-23T16:58:00.007+09:00

Over the past couple of years of writing for Asahikawa Tourism, one of the most frustrating things was not remembering whether to use Taisetsuzan or Daisetsuzan when writing about the Taisetsu (Daisetsu??...its starting again) mountain range.

Websites, both official and non-official seem to arbitrarily use one (Ta) over the other (Da) and leave it at that, not giving any hint as to why. It took two years of not deciding on which side of the fence Asahikawa Tourism would sit before I thought it may be a good idea to raise the issue with a born and raised Asahikawa local having a perfect understanding of the intricacies of the Japanese language and a working knowledge of Asahikawa's history, ...or W.i.f.e

It seems that the issue is relatively simple.

Daisetsuzan is the official name for the Daisetsu Mountain Range, it is the name that appears on the Range's birth certificate as well as all other official paper work, for example the law stating that impersonating wildlife documentary filmmakers like Werner Herzog in the "Daisetsuzan" in winter is prohibited under Article ????? (of course in summer go your hardest). Despite it being the official name, local people always refer to the range as the Taisetsuzan or Taisetsu Mountain Range, possibly because if you say Daisetsuzan quickly a thousand times, the D sound tends towards a T sound.

So there you have it, if you want to avoid sounding like a tourist, use Taisetsuzan.

Interestingly enough, the official name of Asahikawa is actually "Asahikgawa", again, the reason for the pronunciation is that in the event of you having to say "Asahigawa" several thousand times in quick succession the G will tend towards K. The founders of Asahigawa, being incredibly forward thinking, must have decided to make people pronounce the K since it was inevitably going to go that way in the end. Brilliant! - probably not true - but , Brilliant! if it is.

If someone was really looking for an answer on this issue, I hope this post helped.

Oh, and for good measure, here is a nice pic of the Taisetsuzan,

see you up there soon,

Greg

b.t.w: the person in the photo is "Q", local guide, and 'everything outdoors' expert

When the snow is gone...

2008-04-22T14:46:00.006+09:00

Asahikawa is a city whose people are neatly divided between those that love the snow and can't get enough, and those that hate the white plague which tests their snow shoveling endurance for a solid 5 months of the year. As far as Asahikawa's reputation goes, this year was not a bumper snow year by any stretch of the imagination, but the relief on the faces of those praying to the sun Gods since last November is very noticeable.

For the snow junkies however, its not quite over. Asahidake and Kurodake are both still options for giving the deck or skiis some end of season punishment, albeit in slushy uncomfortable conditions, only tempered by the freedom to get up and down in a t-shirt without freezing.

In the last three days the mercury has hit 24 degrees and while the Massive Units mentioned above are still chasing their last runs of the year, the more conservative are getting an early start to the B.B.Q season. Asahikawa has a few great B.B.Q locations close to the city, none better than Kaguraoka Park, a beautiful large park about 10 minutes drive from the city. Last Sunday was the first B.B.Q of the season, for us anyway, and already the prematurely warm temperature had the park filled with people enjoying basketball, Frisbee golf, soccer, baseball and of course generous amounts of food and beer.

Winter tourism has a very good reputation in and around Asahikawa, primarily due to the fantastic snow conditions over the course of the season as well as the adventure inherent in high altitude snow activities. It would therefore surprise many to learn that summer tourism to Asahikawa and the Taisetsuzan National Park far exceeds its winter counterpart, and by a large factor.

The reason for this is that essentially there is much more to see and do here in the summer. Hiking, climbing, mountain biking, camping, fishing, golf, and park golf are just some of the many activities on the menu here in summer.

More on these in a later post, ...gotta get back to work!

The pic below is the Grand Opening of the B.B.Q season at Kaguraoka Park.

Cheers to all that participated, especially to Mark for the great steak, A-Rod for that super-addictive game that had us all thoroughly entertained (also another post on this to come), and to all the crew that helped to clean up.

See you all next week.

Greg