Former Otaru Warehouse From the mid-Edo period to the 1890s (Meiji 30s), Kitamae-bune ships traveled between Hokkaido and western Japan using the Nishi-mai route. In 1869 (Meiji 2), with the establishment of the Hokkaido Development Commission, Otaru Port was developed as a supply base for development. With a rapid population increase due to immigrants from various regions, it developed into a trading port and a port of call for transporting daily necessities. During the Taisho era, canals were developed as waterways for unloading cargo, further developing maritime transportation. Large stone warehouses built by Kitamae-bune shipowners lined the streets, and merchants' houses and stone warehouses were also constructed. The "Former Otaru Warehouse" is a wooden-framed, stone-structured warehouse built on the newly reclaimed port of Otaru's Nanbangaura by Shobachi Nishitani and Sansaemon Nishide, shipowners of the Kitamae-bune (a type of Japanese sailing ship). Construction began in 1890 (Meiji 23), and the business was later transferred to Kyuemon Yamamoto, a Kitamae-bune shipowner from Matsue who recognized the potential of Otaru. In 1893 (Meiji 26), it became Otaru Warehouse Co., Ltd., the first modern warehouse in Hokkaido with a modern logistics system. Tales of the Old Otaru Warehouses Established in 1893 (Meiji 26), approximately 130 years ago, by Sonzaemon Nishide and Shohachi Nishitani, who had been engaged in the shipping industry since the Edo period in Hadate, Ishikawa Prefecture, the "Otaru Warehouse" was Hokkaido's first commercial warehouse. With its elegant design blending Japanese and Western styles, featuring a wooden frame and stone structure, a hipped tile roof with a shark fin finial, and a symmetrical layout centered around a brick office building (currently the "Otaru Department Store UNGA↑" store), it displays a graceful beauty. "Old Otaru Warehouse Story" is shaped exactly like this building, which is designated as Otaru City's Historical Building No. 13. Inside, you'll find a row of bite-sized "Fondant au Chocolat." Fondant, meaning "to melt" in French, is a chocolate cake that is not fully baked, leaving the center soft. The meringue is thoroughly whipped to incorporate plenty of air, then gently mixed by skilled artisans. A rich, original raw chocolate is enveloped in the smooth, melt-in-your-mouth center before baking. Enjoy the story of the "Otaru Warehouse" overlooking the canal with this moist and rich fondant au chocolat. Tales of the Old Otaru Warehouses
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