Asahikawa is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido after Sapporo. It has been a core city since April 1, 2000. The city is currently well known for the Asahiyama Zoo, Asahikawa ramen, and its ski resort. On July 31, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 321,906, with 173,961 households, and a popu…