Asahidake is the tallest mountain in Hokkaido, standing at over 2,290m high. It is located in the impressive Daisetsu Mountain range which comprises of numerous 2,000 metre peaks spread over a 50km distance. This 230,000 ha area has been designated a National Park that offers visitors spectacular scenery, incredible back powder country skiing and beautiful hiking trails featuring stunning scenery in summer. The 101 person Mt. Asahidake ropeway is the gateway to the park. It climbs from the Sanroku Station up to the Sancho Station 1,600m above sea level. In winter the landscape is bucketed by fine dry powder snow as far as the eye can see. In summer lush fields of alpine flowers surround the mystical marsh landscape of Sugatami Pond. In Autumn crimson foliage covers expansive mountain ridges. Asahidake is a true all season resort.

The award winning Otokoyama company has been making sake from Hokkaido's Mt. Taisetsu spring water for over 340 years. The pure spring water is rumoured to possess remedial healing elements that provide a drinker a long and healthy life. For this reason it is a favourite amongst Japanese. The museum provides a wonderful insight into the making of sake and explains how deeply rooted sake is in Japanese culture and tradition. Whilst the brewery provides the perfect location for sampling the sake. The brewery and museum are open 9am - 5pm most days and best of all entry is completely free.

The Ainu people were first thought to travelled from Siberia or Central Asia and inhabited Hokkaido thousands of years ago. In the late 1800's when the Japanese began to colonize Hokkaido, the Ainu population began to decrease. The Kawamura Kaneto is named after an Ainu chief who worked as a surveyor with Hokkaido's railways and set up this collection on Ainu artifacts and history. An English booklet that is available at the ticket office has been produced by the Ainu chief's son detailing many of the traditions and culture of the Ainu people. On occasion Ainu ceremonies and dance performances are held in the hall.

A trio of museums, the International Dyeing and Weaving Are Museum, The Yukura Ori Folk Craft Museum and the Snow Crystals Museum make up the Hokkaido Folk Arts and Craft Village. The village is located just west of the city centre and is easily accessible. Visitors to the village can view hand woven Japanese fabrics and kimonos, embroided Ainu tree bark cloth, a myriad of snow crystals and an enormous ice corridor. The village is open most days and the entrance cost is around ¥1400. Further information on opening times and how to get there can be found here.

The Asahikawa winter festival occurs in early February each year. First held over 60 years ago in 1947, it originally had the name "lyomante" meaning bear in the native Ainu language of Hokkaido. Since then the festival has continued to grow and gain international recognition. Today the festival is a inspiring spectacle of laser shows, music and dance performances, fireworks and a massive snow stage. Each year the festival plays hosts to the world's best ice sculptors who ply their trade creating huge masterpieces from snow and ice. Adjacent to the main stage is an enormous ice slide that will keep the kids and those young at heart entertained for hours. The festival runs for five days and is completely free. For more information visit here.

Each September on the banks of the Ishikari-gawa river, around 10km south of Asahikawa the local Ainu population hold a celebration to years gone past. The festival is dedicated to an Ainu warrior who defeated and killed an evil deity, throwing its body into the river. According to legend the body took the form of two large rocks in the river. A true insight into the Ainu way of life the festival features traditional dances, music as well as ancient prayer ceremonies to the fire, river, village and mountain. More details can be found on the Asahikawa Tourism Website.