On 2F before security, Teppan Asato is your Japanese option
With several other restaurants in the building closed, Teppan Asato on the 2F of T1 ends up carrying most of the sit-down Japanese food duty at Asahikawa Airport. It sits pre-security in the Domestic Terminal Building, so you can eat here even if you are meeting someone off a JR or bus connection and not flying. Hours run 11:00–20:00, which covers the bulk of mid-day and evening departures.
This is a straight Japanese menu, not a mixed “something for everyone” spot. Expect teppan-style hot plates, rice, and standard side dishes rather than international café fare. Prices at airports in Hokkaido trend midrange rather than cheap, so assume mains in the ¥1,000–¥1,800 band and budget a bit more than town. If you land around 19:30 on a later domestic flight, this is likely your last sit-down food option before heading into the city.
Post-security food options at AKJ are thin, which makes the 2F location important if you like a proper meal and not just a onigiri from a shop by the gate. Because Teppan Asato is outside security in T1, you need to build a buffer for security and boarding; on quiet days 20 minutes can work, but for a 737-sized departure bank, keep 30–40 minutes in hand. There is no separate international terminal here, so all domestic passengers funnel through the same checkpoint after you finish eating.
No big complaint patterns show up in Japanese or English reviews, and there are no clear “order this, skip that” consensus dishes yet. Treat it like a standard local teppan joint at a small regional airport: solid, straightforward plates before a short hop to New Chitose or Haneda. One practical move: eat here for a real meal around 11:00–14:00 or 17:00–19:00, then just grab drinks or snacks closer to your gate later.