Otaru Canal

"How are you? I'm fine." The most unmissable place in Hokkaido is Otaru. As the filming location of "Love Letter", this place has the most niche and quiet beauty in Hokkaido. / The first thing: "About Otaru" Otaru is a seaside town on the west coast of Hokkaido, Japan, This small town is covered with snow, It became popular because of the movie "Love Letter", and has become a must-visit place for many people when they come to Hokkaido. / The second thing: "Main attractions" Otaru is not big, there are not many attractions, and you can finish it in a day trip. 1、Otaru Canal: Famous because of Love Letter, the canal bank has been transformed into various craft shops, The retro brick warehouse is full of literary atmosphere. It is especially recommended to come here at night, and the restaurants and bars along the river are not to be missed. 2、Funaizaka: The slope where the postman rides a bicycle to deliver letters in "Love Letter", standing on a high ground, you can also overlook the beautiful sea in the distance, it is very suitable for taking pictures, the sea view + snow scene at a glance, full of literary sense. 3、Kitichi Dori: The busiest and most prosperous commercial street in Otaru, all kinds of handmade and gourmet dining, can be found here. 4、Fairy Tale Crossroad: The end of Kitichi Dori is Fairy Tale Crossroad, surrounded by Music Box Museum, hello kitty cafe, etc., a must-visit place for taking pictures. 5、Music Box Museum: A European-style retro building with a history of more than 100 years, it has collected more than 3,000 music boxes from all over the world, and it feels like a fairy tale world when you walk in! You can buy all kinds of music boxes here, and you can even customize the music and shape yourself. 6、hello kitty cafe: Just opposite the Music Box Museum, the first floor is a merchandise shop, and the second floor is a cafe. The hello kitty theme style is a place that girls like to check in. 7、Tengu Mountain: The night view of Tengu Mountain, along with the night view of Hakodate and the night view of Sapporo Moiwa Mountain, is known as the "Three Great Night Views of Hokkaido", and it is also the place where the heroine of "Love Letter" ran wildly in the snow. It is recommended to go in the afternoon, you can see the city view during the day, and you can also see a very dreamy night view at night~ 8、Asari: A seaside fishing village near Otaru, here are the sea, snow, and small villages, very quiet and literary, very suitable for taking pictures and checking in. / The third thing: "Recommended travel route" (JR train to Asari Station) Asari—(JR train to Otaru Minami Station)—Fairy Tale Crossroad—(walk)—Music Box Museum—(walk)—hello kitty cafe—(walk)—Kitichi Dori—(walk)—Otaru Canal—(walk)—Funaizaka—(No. 9 bus)—Tengu Mountain / The fourth thing: "Recommended food" 1、Masazushi: Filming location of "Love Letter", a very romantic restaurant 2、Zezaki Fisheries: All kinds of Hokkaido seafood are available 3、LeTAO Main Store: Biscuits and chocolates are very famous! 4、Kitakaro: Fairy Forest Annual Ring Cake / The fifth thing: "Transportation Strategy" The most convenient and fast way from Sapporo to Otaru is to take the JR train, the fare is 750 one way, and the time is about 36 minutes. For city travel, except for going to Asari or Tengu Mountain, you need to take a car, and the rest can be reached on foot.

A romantic stroll at Hokkaido, Otaru Canal during our honeymoon in Winter. There’s a small Jingisukan store nearby that is affordable and worth a visit. One set of Lamb Steak costs less than SGD20. Visit if you’re nearby! #japan #hokkaidotravel #hokkaido #otaru #honeymoon

#winter2022 #otaru Otaru is a romantic town that is easily accessible from Sapporo. The Otaru Canal in the port and the surrounding stone warehouses have much to tell of the city’s proud form of long ago, which paved the way to prosperity beyond Sapporo and the cultivation of Hokkaido. There are many historical buildings that still stand around the Otaru Canal from 100 years ago, which provide a nostalgic atmosphere that you can enjoy as you walk around. Here are some of the best places to check out during your visit.

Otaru is a magical place that everything you see is so beautiful and unforgettable! This place are full of things to see and do! You can also explore some of Hokkaido’s finest food and fresh seafood here! Many of the warehouses, factories & mills are still there today, at the famous Otaru Canal! It’s just like a painting, everyone can take perfect picture here! Nowadays, Otaru also famous for it’s music boxes and any kind of Kitaichi glass products! So many picturesque and rich of history buildings are standing here awaiting travellers to take picture with them! I want can go back there once again on 2023 or maybe every year?! #2023travelwish #tripblazers #awesomepic #wintergetaway

Otaru (小樽) is a small harbor city, about half an hour northwest of Sapporo by train. Its beautifully preserved canal area and interesting herring mansions make Otaru a pleasant day trip from Sapporo or a nice stop en route to or from Niseko or the Shakotan Peninsula. From the early days of Hokkaido's colonization in the late 1800s, Otaru served as a major trade and fishing port. It was hence chosen as the terminal station of Hokkaido's first railway line that connected the port with nearby Sapporo. Many old warehouses and former office buildings by shipping and trade companies give Otaru's city center a special character reminiscent of past decades.

Located only an hour from New Chitose Airport, Otaru is a pretty town perfect for sightseeing, eating great food, and enjoying the local culture. Check out the fish markets for Hokkaido specialties including crab, oysters, and decadent uni. Don't miss their famous soft serve an take a walk along the beautiful canal. For dinner stop at one of the ramen bars for an unforgettable foodie experience and the nearby hotels all housed tranquil onsens to warm up and unwind. The perfect winter destination for a snowy family holiday. 

Otaru canal is probably the number one attraction that tourists come to Otaru for. The view is indeed nice, regardless during the day or at night, but do take note that as the sun sets, the crowd that gathers at the bridge could get quite big. Every one is nice enough to take turns to take photos and then leave though. #GiveThanks

Otaru, a port city in the southwestern part of Hokkaido, Japan, serves as the outer port of Sapporo, facing the Ishikari Bay. It is located in the western part of Hokkaido, facing the Ishikari Bay, and developed about 100 years ago as the maritime gateway of Hokkaido. It flourished to the utmost, with numerous banks and businesses flocking here to develop, and it was even called the 'Wall Street of the North'. The night in Otaru is so quiet, strolling on the streets, looking for local delicacies. 🌈 Transportation Tips Take a train from JR Sapporo Station to JR Otaru Station or JR Minami-Otaru Station, with a one-way fare of 750 yen, and a travel time of 30 minutes (rapid train) to 45 minutes (local train) 🌈 Otaru Highlights 1⃣️ In the past, the canal was crowded with numerous sampans loading and unloading goods, and the banks were lined with brick and stone warehouses, a scene of bustling activity. Today, these warehouse buildings have been converted into glass craft shops, teahouses, restaurants, and large stores. 2⃣️ In front of Otaru Station, you can take a public bus and then transfer to the Tengu Mountain Ropeway to reach the summit. This boundless world of mountains and sea covered in snow is one of the three major night views of Hokkaido. 3⃣️ Hokkaido Glass Pavilion, the Romantic Pavilion, and Otaru Canal, to be honest, are just average. A group of people from our country squatting on the thickly snow-covered riverbank, holding cameras towards the canal, muttering to themselves not knowing what to shoot 4⃣️ The much-anticipated Triangle Seafood Market closes after evening, and I didn't get to eat there. The popular restaurants concentrated across the canal are the next stop to look forward to. The seafood rice from Zazeki Marine Products, the robatayaki seafood from Tsurukichi. They are all small restaurants, with seating for 10 people, hard to get a seat.

We went to Hokkaido with a group of 15 pax family members. All of us enjoy the weather and snow very much. Pictures taken during our stay in The Canal Otaru. Such a amazing journey with lots of nice food and views. Kids are enjoying their snow and ice cream cake. The outdoor weather is cold enough to chill our ice cream cake from Baskin Robin. The ramen restaurant opposite the Canal is super good!! Small restaurant with chef and 1 worker. Traditional Japanese ramen that I’ll definitely go back to eat again. #otaru

#thingstodo Is Otaru Canal worth visiting? Otaru has always been a popular destination for Japanese locals, but has recently gained popularity with international visitors as well. The village was a rich trading post, and you can still see remnants of its old-time wealth in the varied architecture. I remember one of the Filipino movies “Kita-Kita” was filmed in Hokkaido and Otaru Canal was one of the unforgettable moment they had in the movie.

9AM take the JR from Sapporo to Asari Station There are 'ordinary' and 'express' trains to Otaru, 'ordinary' 750 yen 💴 You must choose the 'ordinary' slow train! Only the slow train will stop at Kanhane and Asari, and you can start taking sea views from Kanhane If you want to see the sea, you must sit 👉 on the seat by the window on the right If you want to sit in a row of seats, you must choose the carriage with fewer people! This way you can take the same style as Spirited Away - Sapporo➡️Asari Station➡️Funamizaka➡️Triangle Market➡️Otaru Canal➡️Otaru Canal Cafeteria➡️Commercial Street➡️Tengu Mountain - 🚉Asari Station🌟🌟🌟🌟 Don't leave the station‼️You can take pictures of the sea and the station sign, walk across the overpass to the opposite station sign, the background is the sea🌊, I personally think it's very photogenic, after taking pictures, you can continue to Otaru by car About 15 minutes a car, don't worry, you can take your time to take pictures, when the car comes, just get on, no need to swipe your card again 🚉Otaru Station It's about a 10-minute walk from the station to Funamizaka 💙Funamizaka The filming location of 'Love Letter', a street leading straight to the sea, it will look very good when the weather is good 💙Triangle Market 💙Otaru Canal A very boring place, with some sense of age 💙Otaru Canal Cafeteria It's a converted warehouse, there's a lot of food inside 💙Commercial Street About 1 kilometer long, not very interested The melon ice cream is delicious😋 Avoid eating at Zeqi Aquatic Products❌❌ They treat Chinese people differently, the boss lady has a very stinky face, but if you can speak Japanese, she is very flattering, a bowl of seafood rice bowl 250+ still have to look at her stinky face, can't share! Suddenly feel like a fool, who is pushing this shop?! - 🚠Tengu Mountain🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🎫Cable car round trip ticket: 1600 yen 💴 The filming location of 'Love Letter' and 'First Love', very photogenic! Especially like it here, you can overlook the whole city🌆, known as one of the three best night views in Hokkaido Go up around 3 pm, you can take a lot of pictures, there is a lot of snow, you can also watch the sunset! Play until the lights are on, took a night view and left, around six o'clock, don't dare to stay too long, afraid to wait for the cable car for a long time, because there are only two cable cars😂 - ⚠️The bus has operating hours, the interval is long, it's cold at night in winter, it's recommended to take a taxi after the cable car comes down, we two people found two people to share a car down the mountain, the cost is cheaper than taking a bus, the key is that you can leave immediately! Take a 🚕 taxi directly to Otaru Station and return to Sapporo ⚠️The Tengu Mountain cable car will be suspended in bad weather, so it is recommended to check the weather before you go This route is very leisurely, because we both like to take pictures, spend more time taking pictures, but not in a hurry at all, and very photogenic

When traveling to Otaru, the must-visit spot is Otaru Canal! Famous for the movie 'Love Letter', it has different views in four seasons, especially unique in winter. / The first thing: 'About Otaru Canal' The Otaru Canal is 1140 meters long and 20 to 40 meters wide, located in Otaru City, Japan. It is the only and oldest canal in Hokkaido, which is the same age as the history of Hokkaido's development, about more than 120 years. The Otaru Canal was initially used for loading and unloading goods, and now the canal bank has been transformed into various craft shops, many literary shops, and some warehouses converted into restaurants and bars. / The second thing: 'Main Check-in Points' 1. Canal Side: The first check-in location is the canal side, you can be on the bridge by the river, or on the embankment by the river. 2. Old Warehouse on the River Bank: The old warehouses here have become various style shops, Otaru Warehouse No. 1, known as the birthplace of Otaru beer, and Otaru Canal Canteen is a food street converted from a warehouse. 3. Otaru City Comprehensive Museum: Free, using the 'Old Otaru Warehouse' transformation, introducing the history and nature of Otaru, as well as the history of the development of the fishing industry. / The third thing: 'Recommended Play' 1. Check-in for photos: The Otaru Canal is a must-check-in for Otaru, and it is also a place where everyone who comes to Otaru will check in for photos. It is recommended to come and see both day and night, with different views. 2. Canal Tour: To tour the Otaru Canal, you can rent a bicycle, there are also rickshaw drivers in traditional costumes on the shore, and you can also take a sightseeing boat, the night view is particularly charming. / The fourth thing: 'Recommended Restaurant' There are many gourmet restaurants on both sides of the canal. 1. Skewer Bird Otaru's popular barbecue shop, chicken skewers, beef tongue are all must-order series, it's really great to have some skewers in winter. 2. Buckwheat House Century-old buckwheat seedling old shop, also a popular local shop, you can try tempura buckwheat noodles or curry buckwheat noodles. / The fifth thing: 'Transportation Strategy' The Otaru Canal is in the city center, about 400m down from JR Otaru.