Popular and Unpopular places to go

Asahidake alpine is a mountainous region with alpine flowers, sweet-scented herbs, and autumn’s blazing leaves, as well as cross-country resorts and ski slopes in winter. Besides enjoy the time with Asahidake, Asahikawa area have many attractive places. Zoo, Lavender field, nature are well-known sightseeing places nearby Asahikawa. However, some places may not published in tour guide book are good to visit. Draw a circle and use K’s House Hokkaido as origin, some places in 2 hours distance are interesting. In addition, travel by car is the ideal way in Hokkaido.

Let’s start journey from K’s House Hokkaido!

CONTENTS

Nature series
Family day
- Asahiyama Zoo
- Kitakitsune Fox Farm
For Foodies
- Furano Cheese Factory
- Kitakaro, Main Store

Nature series

Shirogane Blue Pond & Shirahige Waterfalls

Biei is famous for its views of wide fields and hills, and is used as a backdrop for many commercials and TV programs. The most popular tourist attractions are:

Shirogane Blue Pond
Transportation time: 57 mins

The mystery of Blue color is invisible colloidal particles, which scatter the sunlight evenly. Moreover blue light with a short wavelength is easily scattered, it reaches the eyes and looks blue. In winter, Blue pond has light up show from November to April (schedule is subject to change).

Address: Shirogane, Biei, Kamikawa District (Google map)
Link: Shirogane Blue Pond

Shirahige Waterfalls
Transportation time: 61 mins (5 mins from Blue Pond)

It is one of the source from underground water formed waterfall in Japan. The color is from the lush green in summer to the white snow covered in winter. It also same as Blue Pond has light up show throughout the year.

Address: Shirogane, Biei, Kamikawa District (Google map)
Link: Shirahige Waterfalls

Sounkyo

Transportation time: 1 hrs 54 mins

Sōunkyō is a range of gorges located in Kamikawa. Situated in the Daisetsuzan National Park, the area is known for its hotels and onsen resorts as well as waterfalls and magnificent cliffs scenery.
Kurodake, Sōunkyō Onsen, Taisetsu Lake and a numbers of waterfall are recommended.

Address: Kamikawa, Kamikawa District (Google map)
Link: Sōunkyō (Japanese only)

Mikuni Pass

Transportation time: 1 hrs 40 mins

At 1,139m, it is the highest national roadway in Hokkaido. Looking down from this height affords a view of a sea of trees thriving in a caldera formed during volcanic eruptions around one million years ago. This mix of conifer and broadleaf trees surrounded by the southeastern peaks of Daisetsuzan Mountain Range is a sight to behold.

You could enjoy a cup of coffee with beautiful scenery over there.

Address: Mitsumata, Kamishihoro, Kato District (Google map)
Link: Mikuni Pass (Japanese only)

Family day

Asahiyama Zoo

Transportation time: 43 mins

The Asahiyama Zoo is the northernmost zoo in Japan. The zoo has unique interactive animal viewing facilities named Totori’s Village, which enables visitors to see birds flying freely in a huge cage and also Polar Bear Aquatic Park, a “walk- through” penguin aquarium, an orangutan trapeze, and a seal aquarium which includes a vertical tube through which the seals can swim. Penguin Parade is famous event in Winter too.

In the past, JR has a one return train between Sapporo and Asahikawa everyday, it called Asahiyama Zoo train. However, that special train service terminated in 2018 caused by the aging engine. The zoo reserved some seats and interior parts for photo taking as memories. (The below photo was taken inside the train, in 2013)

Address: Kuranuma Higashiasahikawacho, Asahikawa (Google map)
Link: Asahiyama zoo official homepage

Kitakitsune Fox Farm

Transportation time: 2 hrs 41 mins

Wild fox is easy to meet in Hokkaido, special in the night time and rural area. By reason of wild animals are carrying diseases, virus and harmful elements to human being and vice verse, touching or nearby them is not allowed. However fox is cutie and adorable, it is the chance to get closer to them in this fox farm. All of them have name and touch is safe and possible with the owner’s permit.
Just be careful the NATURE of them!

Address: 52-1 Rubeshibecho Hanaoka, Kitami (Google map)
Link: Kitakitsune Fox Farm (Japanese only)

For Foodies

Furano Cheese Factory

Transportation time: 1 hrs 22 mins

The Furano Cheese Factory produces and sells butter, milk, ice milk and five kinds of cheeses using Furano milk.
A wide array of pleasant experiences await visitors: Tours of the production processes and Q & A sessions regarding cheese are conducted at the factory, in addition to experiencing butter making and the like offered at the hands-on workshop.

Address: Naka 5 ku, Furano (Google map)
Link: Furano Cheese Factory Leaflet

Kitakaro, Main Store

Transportation time: 1 hrs 56 mins

Daily products are famous in Hokkaido. Besides cheese, milk also one of the main ingredients for desserts. Kitakaro insists to use ingredients from Hokkaido to make cakes, desserts and in-house snack. In addition to the shop, the Kitakaro Sunagawa Main Store has a coffee shop serves desserts and lunch set. The lower-priced cake set is highly recommended.