Asahikawa, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Hokkaido Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Asahikawa is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido. It has been a core city since 2000. The city is currently well known for the Asahiyama Zoo and Asahikawa ramen.

Asahikawa joined UNESCO's Network of Creative Cities as a Design City on October 31, 2019 on the occasion of World Cities’ Day.

Overview On August 1, 1922, Asahikawa was founded as Asahikawa City. As the central city in northern Hokkaido, Asahikawa has been influential in industry and commerce. There are about 130 rivers and streams including the Ishikari River and Chūbetsu River, and over 740 bridges in the city. 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.

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. Due to its climate and location surrounded by mountains, there are some ski resorts in the outskirts of the city.

History Asahikawa was populated by the mainland Japanese in the Meiji period (1868 – July 1912) as a tondenhei, or state-sponsored farmer-militia settlement.

Kamikawa District set up under Ishikari Province with the villages of Asahikawa, Nagayama and Kamui in 1890. • 1900 Asahikawa Village becomes Asahikawa town • 1914 Asahikawa Town becomes Asahikawa-ku

Asahikawa was elevated to city status in 1922.

Asahikawa thrived as a military city before World War II, when the IJA 7th Division was posted there. During the closing stages of the war, Asahikawa was bombed by American naval aircraft in July 1945. Today, the 2nd Division of the Northern Army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is headquartered in Asahikawa. • 1955 Kamui Village and Etanbetsu Village merge with Asahikawa • 1961 Nagayama Town merged • 1963 Higashi-Asahikawa Town merged • 1967 Asahiyama Zoo opened • 1968 Kagura Town merged • 1971 Higashi-Takasu Town merged • 1972 Japan's first permanent pedestrian mall Heiwadōri Shopping Park opened • April 1, 2000 Asahikawa becomes a core city.

Economy Asahikawa developed as an industrial centre in Hokkaido after World War II. The city is noted for its lumber and brewing industries, as well as the production of furniture and paper pulp.

Education: University National • Asahikawa Medical University • Hokkaido University of Education, Asahikawa Campus

Private • Asahikawa University • Tokai University (Previously: the Asahikawa Campus of Hokkaido Tokai University)

Colleges • Asahikawa National College of Technology.