Otaru Guest House | Otaru Tourism

Home | Otaru Tourism Portal | Otaru Guest House

Located in the Shukutsu area of Otaru, the Otaru Guest House (formerly the Aoyama Villa) is an extremely luxurious historical building that tells the story of the golden age of herring fishing, which once dominated the Sea of Japan coast of Hokkaido. With its overwhelming scale and artistic value, it goes beyond the scope of a simple historically preserved building and is truly worthy of being called the "art mansion of the north."

This mansion was built by Masakichi, the second head of the Aoyama family, a fishing business that made its fortune through herring fishing, and his daughter Masae. It took about six and a half years to complete, starting in 1917 (Taisho 6).

At the time, the area around Shukutsu in Otaru was booming with herring fishing, and many "herring palaces" were built, but the former Aoyama Villa stands out from the rest. It was not built as a "palace" to serve as a base for living and working, but as a "villa in pursuit of beauty," and so the attention to detail was extraordinary. It is said that a huge amount of money was invested in this building, enough to build several of Shinjuku's famous department stores, in those days.

The two-story wooden building spans an area of approximately 620 square meters. Its construction was generously crafted from the finest zelkova, cypress, and ebony, materials that were difficult to obtain even at the time. The sliding screen paintings that adorn each room were created by leading painters and calligraphers of the time. Each room has a different style, creating the feeling of walking through a museum. The delicate carvings on the transoms and the geometric patterns on the kumiko shoji screens, assembled without a single nail, are the result of techniques so exquisite that even modern artisans would find it difficult to recreate them. The toilet (setsugakure) is particularly noteworthy. Here too, exquisite lacquering and mother-of-pearl inlay work symbolize the Aoyama family's extraordinary wealth and aesthetic sense.

The Japanese garden surrounding the building is also a major attraction of the Otaru Guest House. It is particularly famous for its peonies. From late May to June, hundreds of large peonies and Chinese peony flowers bloom in the garden. The Peony Festival is also held during this time, and many tourists visit to enjoy the contrast between the stately architecture and the gorgeous flowers. The garden shows different faces with each season, from vibrant autumn leaves in autumn to the tranquil gardens covered in snow in winter.

In 2010, the main building, annex, and walls of the former Aoyama Villa were designated as a national registered tangible cultural property. They are highly regarded by the government as a symbolic relic of the herring culture that supported Otaru's prosperity, and as a valuable base for preserving the excellent architectural techniques of the Taisho era.

It is now open to the public as the Otaru Guest House, and in the attached restaurant you can enjoy seasonal Hokkaido delicacies, including herring dishes. Dining in a dignified atmosphere while enjoying the view that the wealthy merchants of the time would have enjoyed is a unique experience.

Facility name :<br>Nishin Goten Otaru Guest House (former Aoyama Villa)

address
3-63 Shukutsu, Otaru City, Hokkaido 047-0047

phone
0134-24-0024

Opening hours
9:00~17:00

Closed: New Year's holiday

Home page
Click here for the homepage

I want to explore Otaru

This Tai Monaka chocolate features 23 lucky spots in Otaru on the packaging. Chocolate and rice puffs are placed inside a traditionally baked monaka shell made from 100% glutinous rice.

Otaru Tourism Category List

Otaru Tourism Portal Homepage

UNGAPLUS

This shop, renovated from the "Old Otaru Warehouse Main Building," said to be the oldest commercial warehouse in Hokkaido in the Otaru North Canal area, develops and sells original products that convey the charm of Otaru. The shop tells the story of Otaru's prosperity during the Hokkaido pioneering era and the history of the Kitamae ships, and displays and sells processed seafood and agricultural products from ports of call and Hokkaido, as well as original products by artisans and artists with ties to Otaru.