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Asahikawa (旭川市,Asahikawa-shi) is acity inKamikawa Subprefecture,Hokkaido,Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido afterSapporo.[1][2] It has been acore city since April 1, 2000. The city is currently well known for theAsahiyama Zoo,Asahikawa ramen, and its ski resort. On July 31, 2011, the city had an estimatedpopulation of 321,906, with 173,961households, and apopulation density of 431 persons per km2 (1,100 persons per mi2). The total area is 747.66 km2 (288.67 sq mi).[2]
Asahikawa was designated a "Design City" byUNESCO'sCreative Cities Network project on October 31, 2019 on the occasion of World Cities’ Day.[3]
On August 1, 1922, Asahikawa was founded as AsahikawaCity. As the central city in northern Hokkaido, Asahikawa has been influential in industry and commerce. There are about 130 rivers and streams including theIshikari River and Chūbetsu River, and over 740 bridges in the city.[4]Asahibashi, a bridge over Ishikari River, has been one of the symbols of Asahikawa since its completion in 1932, and it was also registered as one of the Hokkaido Heritage sites on October 22, 2001.[5]
Every winter, the Asahikawa Winter Festival is held on the bank of the Ishikari River, making use of Asahikawa's cold climate and snow. On January 25, 1902, a weather station recorded −41 °C (−41.8 °F), the lowest temperature in Japanese history.[6] Due to its climate and location surrounded by mountains, there are some ski resorts in the outskirts of the city.
TheAinu called the Asahi RiverChiu Pet meaning "River of Waves", but it was misunderstood asChup Pet, meaning "Sun River", and so it came to be called Asahi River in Japanese (Asahi meaning "morning sun").
The climate is hemiborealhumid continental (Dfb, according toKöppen classification).[8] Asahikawa winters are long and cold, with below-freezing average monthly temperatures from December through March. The city also sees an extraordinary amount of snowfall, averaging just under 7.6 m (25 ft) of snow per year. Summers are generally warm and humid in Asahikawa, with average high temperatures in the warmest months hovering around 26 °C (79 °F). Spring and autumn are generally short and transitional in the city.[citation needed]
It is one of the coldestJapanese cities as well as one of the most "continental".Japan's lowest temperature ever (−41.0 °C (−41.8 °F)) was recorded in Asahikawa, colder than other cities registered inHokkaido,[9][10][11] but warmer in absolute numbers thanMount Fuji.[12] On January 12, 1909 the temperature did not rise above −22.5 °C (−9 °F), being one of the coldest in history.[9] Some sources consider it the coldest city inJapan.[13][14]
Climate data for Asahikawa, elevation 120 m (390 ft), (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1888−present)
Asahikawa developed as an industrial center in Hokkaido afterWorld War II. The city is noted for its lumber and brewing industries, as well as the production of furniture and paper pulp.[1]
Asahikawa is served byAsahikawa Airport which stretches over the outskirts of Asahikawa City andHigashikagura, Hokkaido. The airport was first proposed by the Asahikawa City Council in 1955, opened in 1961, and daily flights to Tokyo started in 1970. The present terminal of Asahikawa Airport opened in 2000. It is asecond class airport, and also a single-runway regional airport. It serves domestic destinations includingTokyo, but some airlines offer destinations inSouth Korea.[20] EVA Air added Asahikawa as a destination from Taipei on May 2, 2013.
Asappy is a mixture of a harbor seal and a polar bear. He wears a shirt designed after Daisetsuzan National Park with fringes that resembled ramen, his belt is designed after the Asahi Bridge and his pants were designed after the Ishikari River. His red scarf shows his status as a hero.[21]
Yukkirin is a strong but kind snow giraffe (technically a kirin). Her dress has an apple, a snowflake and a flower motif. She wears Etanbetsu boots with fringes. Her antennae resemble snowballs. She can use them to gather information.[22]
