Artigiano, Asahikawa: A Quiet Italian Lunch Away From the Tourist Trail
Not everything worth eating in Asahikawa is ramen.
創作イタリアン BAR Artigiano (Artigiano) sits in Toyooka, a residential part of Asahikawa well away from the station and the tourist strip. It’s in a converted old detached house, and if you didn’t know it was there you would walk straight past it.
That’s rather the point.
What It’s Actually Like
The interior is clean and white-based, and the atmosphere is genuinely calm — this is a place to sit for a while rather than eat and move on. We went at lunch and it was easy to lose an hour there without feeling rushed, which is not something you can say about most places that are busy enough to be good.
The owner trained in Sapporo, and the cooking is “creative Italian” rather than strictly traditional — Hokkaido ingredients turn up in the daily recommendations. The pizza above is what we had.
Practical Details
- Address: 旭川市豊岡6条4-11-1 (Toyooka 6-jo, Asahikawa)
- Phone: 0166-56-0312
- Lunch: 11:00–15:00 (last order 14:30)
- Closed: Sundays, plus occasional irregular closures
- Website: bar-artigiano.com
There’s a set lunch listed at around ¥1,480 — antipasto, salad, your choice of pasta or pizza, and a soft drink — though it’s limited in number each day.
A caveat we’d rather be upfront about: our visit was in 2024, and the price above comes from a restaurant listing rather than from us confirming it recently. Japanese restaurant prices have moved a fair bit since then. Treat it as a ballpark and check when you book, especially as the set lunch sells out.
Should You Go?
Be realistic about the trade-off. This is not walking distance from Asahikawa Station — it’s out in a residential neighbourhood, so you’ll want a car or a taxi, and you’d be spending a chunk of your day getting there and back.
It’s worth it if:
- You’re staying in Asahikawa for more than one night and want a break from ramen and izakaya
- You want a slow, quiet lunch rather than a quick one
- You like the idea of eating somewhere that exists for locals rather than for visitors
It’s not worth it if you’re passing through Asahikawa for a few hours between the airport and Furano. In that case, the ramen is the better use of your time.
Sundays being a closing day catches people out — worth noting if you’re building a weekend itinerary.
Nearby
If you’re basing yourself in Asahikawa, see our transport guide for getting between here, Biei and Furano, or build a full route around your dates.