Only think of Sapporo for snow in winter Japan? This second-largest city in Hokkaido offers an alternative landscape

The most beautiful aspects of Japan are Kanto in spring, Okinawa in summer, Kyoto in autumn, and Hokkaido in winter. Asahikawa is the second-largest city in Hokkaido, and every winter many tourists come to Asahikawa to experience the passion of ice and snow. But aside from skiing, Asahikawa is also known as the 'City of Art' for its numerous art events, archives, and galleries. Naturally, when in Hokkaido, it's a must-visit.

Snow Museum

The Snow Museum is an art museum in Asahikawa themed around snow. Its exterior looks like a scene from a fairy tale, with a faint touch of a Japanese drama atmosphere. Inside, you can view a wealth of knowledge about snow and oil paintings. Most notably, due to its romantic and exquisite architectural style and gorgeous interior decoration, it often serves as a venue for weddings.

For the museum and the zoo, besides individual tickets, you can also purchase a combo ticket, which is more cost-effective than buying separate tickets.

Otokoyama Sake Brewery Museum

'Otokoyama Sake Brewery' is a very famous sake brewery in Japan, with a history of over three hundred years. The brewery chose to set up in Asahikawa, using pure, unpolluted snowmelt from Mount Daisetsu as the raw material for brewing, creating the renowned and distinctive Otokoyama sake.

Here, you can not only see various historical materials of the brewery and brewing tools but also taste the premium sake made from the snowmelt of Mount Daisetsu.

1. Tasting is free, and of course, if you like it, you can buy it directly.

2. At the entrance, you can change into clothes from the 'Otokoyama Sake Brewery' for photos, which makes for a memorable souvenir.

Miura Ayako Memorial Literature Museum

Miura Ayako was a great Japanese writer born in Asahikawa. Her representative work is 'Freezing Point', and she is a iconic figure of Asahikawa.

After Miura Ayako passed away in 1999, her fans built this memorial literature museum in her hometown. The museum's exterior resembles a fairy-tale cottage, with a serene interior. It displays the background and literary materials for each of her works. It is well worth a visit for literature enthusiasts to savor.

Compared to other literary museums, this one thoughtfully provides Chinese language settings, so there is no need to worry too much about language issues.

Asahikawa City Sculpture Museum

The Sculpture Museum was established in memory of Japanese sculptor Nakahara Teijiro, who was born in Asahikawa and is also one of its representative figures. The museum displays the sculptor's works and related materials. The museum building was originally the former Asahikawa Kaikosha, designed in an old Western wooden style. Thus, it is worth a visit for history and art enthusiasts.

Yukara Ori Craft Museum

'Yukara ORI' is the name of a type of Japanese textile. The Yukara Ori Craft Museum is located on a small hill on the west bank of the Ishikari River, together with the Snow Museum. Inside, it exhibits traditional weaving techniques and woven works from Hokkaido, especially traditional Japanese dyed and woven paintings, which are rarely seen elsewhere. Here, you can learn about the production processes, methods, and history of these weaving and dyeing crafts. Among them, there is a piece of Suzhou embroidery that attracts the attention of many Chinese tourists.

The museum is closed from December 30 to January 4, during which time it cannot be visited.

Source from the internet; removal upon request.