One of Hokkaido's 179 towns
Wassamu和寒町
Cabbages sweetened under the snow in a cold valley
Kamikawa region · Lavender, patchwork hills and the roof of Hokkaido.
Wassamu overwinters its cabbages under the snow — they come out sweet as fruit — in one of the coldest farm valleys in Japan.
Wassamu is a farming town north of Asahikawa on the Soya line, in a valley known for hard winters and the farming trick that came out of them: cabbages left in the fields under the snow until midwinter, when they are dug out sweet enough to eat like fruit. Pumpkins are the other major crop. A wooded hill park with a small town ski slope and a forest campground by a pond give the town its outdoor side. A stop on Route 40 rather than a base.
- Region
- Kamikawa (上川)
- From New Chitose Airport
- ~200 km · 3.1 h summer / 3.6 h winter
- From Sapporo
- ~180 km · 2.8 h summer / 3.3 h winter
- Best season in Kamikawa
- Choose dates around the flowers, autumn foliage or winter scenery you want to see. Check local conditions and seasonal transport before booking.
Wassamu at a glance
Drive estimates: straight-line × 1.35, at 65 km/h (summer) / 55 km/h (winter). How we calculate
What to see in Wassamu
Mt. Mikasa Nature Park
三笠山自然公園
A wooded hill on the edge of town with walking paths, a lookout over the valley and a small town-run ski slope in winter. Easy enough for children.
Minamioka Forest Park
南丘森林公園
A campground and picnic area around a reservoir in the hills south of town, with forest trails and quiet water. Popular with local families in summer.
Overwintered cabbage harvest
越冬キャベツの収穫
From January into March farmers dig cabbages out from under a meter of snow, and the sweet, dense heads are sold at the roadside and shipped around Japan.
Getting to Wassamu
Asahikawa Airport is about 1.2 hours by car. Route 40 runs through town and the Doo Expressway has a Wassamu interchange, putting Sapporo about 2.5 hours away by car. JR Soya Main Line local trains stop at Wassamu station, about 45 minutes from Asahikawa.
Kamikawa region: Asahikawa Airport and Asahikawa Station are useful entry points. Plan the onward journey separately: reaching a railway station is not the same as reaching a flower farm, the Blue Pond or a mountain ropeway. Check seasonal bus services and the last return departure.
When to visit Wassamu
January to March for the overwintered cabbage, when the town's specialty is actually available. September and October for pumpkins and harvest. Summer is short, green and comfortable, and the forest park campground opens from spring to autumn.
What to eat in Wassamu
Overwintered cabbage is the town's claim, sweet and dense from months under the snow. Pumpkins are grown in quantity and turned into sweets and soups, and buckwheat and rice come from the same valley.
Wassamu in context: the Kamikawa region
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Kamikawa is a large inland region of Hokkaido that includes Asahikawa, Furano, Biei and gateways to Daisetsuzan National Park. It is also the name of Kamikawa town, where Sounkyo Onsen is located. This page helps you choose between the region's sightseeing areas; use the town guide below if Sounkyo is your destination.
Towns near Wassamu
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More towns in Kamikawa
Other regions: Ishikari · Sorachi · Shiribeshi · Iburi · Hidaka · Oshima · Hiyama · Rumoi · Soya · Okhotsk · Tokachi · Kushiro · Nemuro