The second biggest city in Hokkaido.
Hokkaido is one of the most visited prefectures in Japan, as its beautiful and breathtaking nature attracts travelers from all over the world. The entrance to the prefecture is in Chitose, a city located about an hour away from Sapporo, the capital of the prefecture.
However, Asahikawa, the second-largest city in Hokkaido, is also a popular destination. This is likely because there are sometimes chartered flights from Asian countries, making access pretty easy. This is especially relevant for our Muslim customers, so let’s take a look at the Halal itinerary in the city!
What do we have in Asahikawa?
Asahikawa is a rather small town with the population of 300,000, located 1.5 hours by train from Sapporo, with a fare of about 5,000 yen. There are also buses available, which take about 2.5 hours and cost around 2,500 yen. Since Hokkaido experiences harsh winter weather, travelers should be aware that schedules may often be delayed or canceled due to heavy snow or strong winds.
Asahiyama Zoo (旭山動物園)
The most famous tourist spot that you definitely cannot miss in Asahikawa is Asahiyama Zoo. The zoo offers a great experience not only for children but also for adults.
The zoo is famous for the way it presents animals to visitors. It respects each animal and strives to create an environment that closely resembles their natural habitat. This allows people to observe the animals as if they were in the wild.
For many tourists, Asahiyama Zoo is often the main reason for visiting Asahikawa.
Heiwa Street shopping arcade
This is a 1-km long pedestrian shopping arcade that starts from JR Asahikawa Station. It is known as the first shopping street in Japan to prohibit cars.
Since there are no cars, pedestrians can enjoy shopping without worrying about their safety.
Additionally, there are several events held to attract more visitors, so people can enjoy a variety of activities all on this street, just like Shopping festival in June, Summer festival and Ice statue festival during snow festival in February.
Halal restaurants in Asahikawa.
The destination is famous for their Soy sauce Ramen and Ghengis Khan Lam BBQ. The good news is that there are several Halal choices in this small city!
Asahikawa Sanpei
A Ramen restaurant that is loved by locals since their open in 1970. The broth is Miso paste, but what made them famous is their spicy soup. Customers can choose the hotness level when placing an order. The noodles also can be arranged up to your liking.
They have so far only one option, but it is great that we Halal Ramen is available without a prior reservation.
Taisetsuji Beer
The restaurant is not Pork and Alcohol free, but they have Halal meat option for their local’s specialty, Ghengis Khan BBQ! Ghenjis Khan is a lamb BBQ that is grilled on a hat-like shape pot, which is often considered as a must-try food in Hokkaido.
They also do not ask for a prior reservation, but to be on a safer side we recommend making one if you really want to ensure you get your seat!
Enjoy your stay in Asahikawa!
Before the pandemic, there were more restaurants catering to Muslim travelers. However, the impact of the pandemic has led to the permanent closure of many of these restaurants.
Still, as we expect more Muslim travelers to visit the city, we can anticipate more establishments opening in the near future!
The city is compact, but it is a perfect choice if you want to enjoy beauty of nature with your kids.
If you would like us to plan a Halal trip to Asahikawa, get in touch with us from the following button!