Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
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On the last day, we will travel around Asahikawa city. After enjoying a breakfast buffet at OMO7 Asahikawa, we will take the JR train to NAYA cafe at Ueno Farm. After that, we will stroll around the area around the station and visit Asahibashi and Tokiwa Park.
It's like a fairy tale world. Garden cafe "NAYA cafe" in Ueno Farm.
The Hokkaido Garden Highway is said to have started about 10 years ago. There were gardens in Hokkaido before that, but it was around that time that the area started to cooperate as a tourist resource. Many gardens were created that combined British design with Hokkaido style, but among them, Ueno Farm is probably the one that gardeners from all over Japan want to visit the most.
In autumn the gardens close for winter but you can still see some of the beautiful gardens and the barn-turned-café offers an even more extensive menu than in summer.
The garden is like something out of a storybook. It is hard to believe that it is a family-run business, but it is well-maintained and is now in the preparation period for next spring. The cafe is open all year round.
Morning. Enjoy the hotel buffet at OMO7 Asahikawa.
If you wake up early, you can see this view. The mountains bathed in the morning sun and a sea of clouds spreading over the city.
OMO CAFE&BAR is a stylish breakfast venue. I thought it was too spacious, but after a few minutes, it was filled with customers and there were not enough seats.
A buffet offering Japanese and Western cuisine.
This is a corner where you can customize your own bowls using Hokkaido's specialty "mountain wasabi." You can add butter, bonito flakes, pickled plums, whitebait, and more to create your own bowl of rice.
Jams and confitures. You can take as much as you want, so there's no waste and it's eco-friendly.
The salad is presented like layered flower petals. This morning buffet is packed with a variety of ideas.
Having said that, I guess I can't eat that much after all... It's great to have a breakfast that's so good you get energy just by looking at it!
After breakfast, we headed out to Ueno Farm. We headed to the garden from Sakuraoka Station on the Sekihoku Line.
Ueno Farm is a privately owned garden. The garden is open from spring to autumn. From now on, it will be time for maintenance in preparation for next year. However, there were still many flowers in bloom.
This is a popular iconic view at Ueno Farm. I'm glad the flowers are still in bloom.
This time, I'll be relaxing at NAYA cafe, a cafe remodeled from a 65-year-old barn.
There is a cafe where you can eat, a shop where you can purchase flower goods, and a gallery in the back.
Buckwheat Galette "Tuna, Avocado and Tomato Galette". Authentic taste using buckwheat flour from Etanabe, Hokkaido.
Enjoy a cup of blended herbal tea "Herbal Bouquet" after your meal. In addition to meals, they also offer sweets, pancakes, and drinks.
I strolled around Asahikawa from the station towards Asahi Bridge over the Ishikari River.
On the way back, I took the JR Soya Main Line from Ueno Farm to Asahikawa Station. This means that I have now ridden the Nemuro Line and the Senmo Line in the Eastern Hokkaido area, and the Sekihoku Line and the Soya Line in the Northern Hokkaido area. Nagayama Station is a small station with a vivid green overpass.
We headed for Asahibashi Bridge, about 2.5 kilometers north from Asahikawa Station, and took a stroll around Asahikawa.
To return to Asahikawa Station, I headed to Nagayama Station on the JR Soya Main Line. This time I took a lot of trains.
The train that arrived was a one-car train. The Soya Main Line is also a line I've wanted to ride.
Our destination from Asahikawa Station is Asahibashi. Asahikawa is one of the coldest regions in Hokkaido. When the weather conditions are right, you can see diamond dust. There are snow marks on the street lamps.
Asahikawa Heiwa-dori Street is in the middle of autumn. There are many trees planted along the streets, making it a city rich in nature.
The eye-catching building is Asahikawa City Hall. It's really cool.
On the way to Asahibashi, I found a cute shop called tocotoco, which sells leather goods and accessories made from leather parts.
We were given permission to take photos and talked to her. She said she found a great location and opened her shop here. The shop also doubles as a workshop, so you can ask about accessories directly.
Apparently he dyes most of the leather parts himself. They're made with great care, even down to the smallest details.
Actually, I heard that it was also displayed at OMO7 Asahikawa where I stayed. I hadn't noticed. Asahikawa is a city of crafts. It may be an environment where artisans and designers can easily grow.
Tokiwayaki and Asahibashi. Walking through Tokiwa Park with autumn leaves.
Asahibashi Bridge, which spans the Ishikari River and the Ushishube River, is a symbolic bridge of Asahikawa with a long history. The people of Asahikawa all agree that it is a sturdy bridge that a train of tanks could cross, but its graceful curves and green color scheme that blends in with nature give it a soft impression. Although it has undergone some modifications, the bridge has remained in use for over 80 years since it was built in 1932, and this speaks to the high level of technology at the time.
At the foot of the bridge, Fukuyoshi Cafe sells oyaki (dumplings) shaped like the Asahi Bridge. The nearby Tokiwa Park has a pond, flower beds, and benches, making it a great place to take a leisurely stroll.
As we approach Asahibashi Bridge, we stop by a shop at its foot. Fukuyoshi Cafe was opened in a renovated old building.
I bought Tokiwa Yaki, an oyaki made with pie dough. There are several varieties, including seasonal cream and the standard, but I chose the most standard bean paste flavor.
We head to the bridge after getting some Tokiwayaki takeaway.
What a beautiful bridge. This is Asahibashi Bridge. Asahibashi Bridge was built by the Self-Defense Forces (Asahikawa Daishichi Division) to be sturdy enough for tanks to cross, and it was built using the best technology available at the time.
Tokiwa Yaki is based on the shape of this bridge. The curves are expressed beautifully!
Its gentle curves make it hard to believe it is so sturdy. It has been recognized as a civil engineering heritage site by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers.
Tokiwa Park, located very close to Asahibashi Bridge, is a relaxing and photogenic spot with elm and poplar trees and wild birds gathering around Chidori Pond.
The autumn leaves and the red arched bridge were beautiful. There is a walkway along the pond, which is a great place to relax. It seems that Hokkaido squirrels also live there.
Although there were rainy periods, the magnificent scenery, unique cuisine, and fresh Hokkaido air in early winter made for a soothing trip. Before heading to the airport, we saw another big rainbow from the roundabout in Asahikawa.
As we were finishing up the trip, a faint rainbow appeared in the eastern sky, a fitting way to end the trip. The train journey lasted three days and two nights, covering a total of 558.3 km. It was a memorable experience that stirred my travelling spirit.
This was my first time in Hokkaido in autumn, but now that winter is in full swing, snowy Hokkaido is actually very nice.
For those who are unsure about driving on snowy roads or who don't like driving, I would highly recommend taking a train trip in Hokkaido this winter.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
