Otaru City is a famous sightseeing spot in Hokkaido.
It is a city with beautiful canals and can be visited in 40 to 50 minutes by train or car from Sapporo, the prefectural capital of Hokkaido, and is visited by many tourists from Japan and abroad.
In this article, I, a resident of Hokkaido, have carefully selected the most famous and classic spots in Otaru.
It is definitely worth a visit not only for tourists to Sapporo, but also for anyone who has a chance to visit Hokkaido, so please refer to this article and enjoy sightseeing in Otaru!
1. Otaru Canal
Otaru is a town with many attractions, but the Otaru Canal is an indispensable point as the reason why Otaru is famous.
The Otaru Canal was built to improve the efficiency of transportation work at Otaru Port, the gateway to the development of Hokkaido.
The canal is characterized by its gentle curves, and the 63 gas lamps that line the walking path create a beautiful night view.
The nostalgic and fantastic scenery of the canal city is attractive, and it is well known as a photo-worthy and romantic place to visit.
Only during this season, the Otaru Canal is decorated with fantastic blue illumination.
- Otaru Canal Cruise (@otarucanalboat) October 20, 2024
Otaru Canal Cruise will also operate with boats decorated with blue illumination to match the event!
Please enjoy the seasonal illumination from the perspective of a ship!
Period] 2024.11.1 - 2025.1.31 Sunset - 22:30 pic.twitter.com/E1nki25ofs
There is also a cruising activity on the Otaru Canal in a small boat.
The Otaru Canal cruise takes about 40 minutes, so if you have time, cruising is a great way to enjoy Otaru Canal.
＞ Click here for the official website of Otaru Canal Cruise.
2. Otaru Sakai-machi Street Shopping Street
One of Otaru's most important attractions is its abundance of delicious seafood.
Otaru has long flourished as a port town, and there are many markets in the city that sell fresh seafood.
Many Hokkaido-area residents travel to Otaru from neighboring cities to enjoy delicious seafood such as salmon roe, sea urchin, and crab.
Otaru Sakai-cho-dori Shopping Street, the main street of Otaru, is the place to enjoy such delicious seafood dishes in Otaru.
Otaru Sakai-cho-dori Shopping Street is a sightseeing shopping street located about a 10-minute walk from the Otaru Station.
The 900-meter-long street is lined with restaurants, seafood stores, glassware stores, and stores selling Hokkaido sweets, and is crowded with tourists every day.
Stores utilizing stone buildings with a nostalgic atmosphere give off a retro feel, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the feeling of being in a foreign country.
There are stores of various genres, so while enjoying lunch or dinner, try to find your favorite Hokkaido souvenir.
▼ Otaru Sakaicho-dori Shopping Street
Business hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Official website:https://otaru-sakaimachi.com/
3. Kitaichi Glass
Since the 1970s, glass stores, glass studios, and glass museums have been established one after another in Otaru. It has become nationally famous as one of Japan's leading glass towns.
Kitaichi Glass, one of Otaru's representative glass brands, is famous for its colorful glassware and oil lamps. In addition to glass stores, there are several other stores in Otaru City, including a sake and wine store, a food and cafe, and a workshop for hands-on production.
Kitaichi Glass Sangokan, located on the south side of the Otaru Canal, is especially recommended.
Kitaichi Glass Sangokan is divided into three floors: ‘Japanese Floor,’ ‘Western Floor,’ and Country Floor. Each floor has its own theme and offers a variety of glassware, glasses, lighting fixtures, accessories, and other glassware for sale.
The coffee shop "Kitaichi Hall" is a must-visit spot, where you can enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee in a fantastic atmosphere, as the store is lit by "only 167 oil lamps. You can enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee in a fantastic atmosphere.
Kitaichi Glass Building No.3 pic.twitter.com/TDmY1Ck67t
- Kishin (@moto_tt_848) February 10, 2024
Please visit the restaurant and enjoy the beautiful and melancholy atmosphere!
▼ Kitaichi Glass Sangokan (Building No.3)
Hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm (*Kitaichi Hall 9:00 am - 5:30 pm)
Official website:https://kitaichiglass.co.jp/
4. Otaru Music Box Museum
Otaru is famous as one of the best glass towns in Japan, but it is also famous as a music box town.
In Otaru, there is one of the largest music box specialty stores in Japan, Otaru Music Box Museum.
The building, built in 1915, is registered as a historical building designated by Otaru City and creates a nostalgic atmosphere.
The interior of the store is filled with the gentle sounds of music boxes, which are known to bring a nostalgic and gentle feeling.
Music Box Hall. Building No. 2. I liked the Antique Museum.# Otaru # Music Box Hall pic.twitter.com/jKyt6VKUV9
- Banban (@banban201405) October 24, 2024
Many wooden, ceramic, and plush music boxes are available for sale, so be sure to find your favorite music box as an Otaru souvenir!
▼ Otaru Music Box Museum
Business hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Official website:https://www.otaru-orgel.co.jp/
5. LeTAO
LeTAO (Otaru Confectionary Shop LeTAO), is a confectionary store that opened in Otaru in 1998, and is known as one of the most famous sweets stores in Hokkaido.
The sweets made from Hokkaido ingredients are exquisite. The Dubre Fromage cheesecake is so popular that it sells out every day and draws huge lines at Hokkaido Product Exhibitions held in department stores throughout Japan.
You can buy these queued-up sweets as souvenirs or enjoy freshly made cakes and tea at the coffee shops in Otaru City.
Each store has its own unique characteristics, so it is recommended to visit not only one store but also multiple stores.
Please check out the details of each store on the official website.
▼ LeTAO (Otaru LeTAO Confectionery Shop)
Official website:https://www.letao-brand.jp/shop/
6. Otaru Aquarium
If you can spare a day or two just for sightseeing in Otaru, you may want to visit the Otaru Aquarium in the great nature of Hokkaido.
The Marine Animals Area in the aquarium is kept in a near-natural state, with only the sea as a partition, so you can see dynamic seals and Steller's sea lions in a near-wild state.
In addition, Otaru Aquarium is the only aquarium in Japan that keeps and exhibits harbor porpoises, which are prohibited to be kept alive except for the purpose of academic research, and where multiple animals can be seen.
The adjacent amusement park, Shukatsu Marineland has 10 attractions, so visitors can spend a whole day there together with the aquarium.
If you want to take your children sightseeing, you should definitely extend your visit to the aquarium and amusement park.
▼ Otaru Aquarium
Official website:https://otaru-aq.jp/
Otaru is a tourist destination worth visiting!
As you can see, Otaru, with its beautiful retro and nostalgic townscape, is a town with many things to recommend it, such as delicious seafood, sweets, beautiful glass and music boxes.
Since Otaru is close to Sapporo, please visit Otaru when you go sightseeing in Hokkaido.
You will surely have wonderful memories!
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