Home > Otaru Tourism Portal

Give Otaru as a gift.

From the "Old Otaru Warehouse" overlooking the canal,
From UNGAPLUS, which brings you the "Story of Otaru" that walked alongside the Kitamae ships,
We will introduce you to "Places to visit in Otaru."

Please enjoy Otaru.

5 Recommended Things to Do in Otaru

1. For first-time travelers

2. For repeat travelers

3. Deep Otaru Recommendations

4. Further recommendations

5. Otaru gourmet food

Otaru Canal

1. Recommended for first-time travelers

Recommended sightseeing spots in Otaru ①

Otaru Canal

In the late Edo period, people moved to Otaru as herring fishing became popular, and then from the Meiji to Taisho periods, Otaru grew rapidly as the gateway to Hokkaido's development. As a shipping town that distributed a variety of goods through Otaru Port, the volume of cargo handled increased dramatically, so the sea was reclaimed and a waterway was built to allow for more efficient transportation. This was the Otaru Canal, which was completed in 1923 (Taisho 12).

Currently, Otaru City is one of Japan's leading tourist cities, ranking in the top three along with Sapporo and Hakodate, even within the popular tourist destination of Hokkaido. Another factor contributing to its popularity is the relatively easy accessibility of the city, just 30-40 minutes by JR rapid train from Sapporo Station. The Otaru Canal is a symbol of tourism in Otaru City.

For more information

Sightseeing Spot　Otaru Canal

address　Minatomachi 5, Otaru City,

Opening hours　Open all year round

Closed days　Open for strolling all year round

Home page　Click here

Otaru's recommended sightseeing spots②

Former Temiya Line

The abandoned Temiya Line, a 10-minute walk from JR Otaru Station, has become a popular tourist spot in Otaru, and in the summer it is filled with young people taking photos with the tracks in the background. The line was originally opened in 1880 by American railway engineer Joseph Urry Crawford, running from Temiya to Sapporo, as the first railway in Hokkaido and the third in Japan, for the purpose of transporting coal.
After bustling with the shipment of coal and seafood, the line was nationalized in 1906 and served as a means of transportation for Hokkaido residents until the late Showa period, when it was closed in November 1985.
The highlight is the impressive information board made from old train and railway parts.

For more information

Sightseeing Spots　Former Japanese National Railways Temiya Line

Opening hours　Open all day except during the winter when there is snow.

Closed days　Open for strolling all day except during the winter when there is snow.

Otaru's recommended sightseeing spots ③

Sakaimachi Shopping Street

When it comes to sightseeing in Otaru, Sakaimachi Shopping Street is the second most popular spot after the Otaru Canal. It's a must-visit when you come to Otaru. Sakaimachi Street is lined with nationally renowned shops such as Kitaichi Glass, LeTAO cake shop, Otaru Music Box Museum, and Kamaei, and is always bustling with tourists and tour groups looking for souvenirs, lunch, gourmet food, and sweets.
There are also sushi restaurants, other eateries, and many shops set in historical buildings, creating a romantic, atmospheric streetscape that is a little different from Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Glass-making experiences are available at the many glass workshops lining the shopping street, and elaborate events are also popular. The Sakaimachi Shopping Street Map, which lists the shops that are members of the shopping street, is convenient. It can be downloaded from the official website.

For more information

Facility name　Sakaimachi Shopping Street

Address　6-11 Sakaimachi, Otaru City, Hokkaido,

phone　0134-27-1133

Opening hours　9:00-18:00

Closed days　Open everyday

Home page　Click here

Otaru's recommended sightseeing spots ④

Otaru Canal Cruise

Otaru Canal has become a world-famous tourist spot in Hokkaido. Numerous historical buildings line the canal, making it picturesque no matter where you look.
The Otaru Canal Cruise is a new standard activity for Otaru tourism, allowing you to fully enjoy the area around the popular Otaru Canal. This short 40-minute boat trip allows you to fully enjoy the charm of Otaru, a city of history and romance, and rediscover the atmosphere of the good old days.

For more information

Facility name　Otaru Canal Cruise

Address　5-4 Minatomachi, Otaru City, Hokkaido

phone　0134-31-1733

Opening hours　10:30-20:00

Closed days　Open everyday (subject to change. Please check the website for details)

Home page　Click here

Otaru's recommended sightseeing spots ⑤

Otaru Museum Canal Hall

The Otaru City Museum consists of two facilities: the Main Building and the Canal Museum. The two facilities are about a 20-minute walk apart. The Main Building was newly opened in July 2007 (Heisei 19) in the former Otaru Transportation Memorial Hall in Temiya, integrating the functions of the museum and the Youth Science and Technology Museum. At the same time, the former museum, which had been located in the "Old Otaru Warehouse" along the Otaru Canal, was renamed the Canal Museum.
The former museum, Canal Hall, has two exhibition rooms: the first exhibiting old photographs and maps that record Kitamae ships, herring fishing, and the changes in the town, and the second exhibiting natural materials on flora and fauna, making it a facility where you can learn about the history of Otaru city and its abundant nature in an easy-to-understand way. Admission is free for junior high school students and younger.

For more information

Facility name　Otaru City Museum Canal Hall

address　2-1-20 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido

phone　0134-22-1258

Opening hours　09:30-17:00

Closed　New Year's holiday (December 29th to January 3rd)

Home page　Click here

Otaru's recommended sightseeing spots ⑥

UNGAPLUS (in the former Otaru warehouse)

Good luck from the shipping town of Otaru...
May the flow that has been protected without interruption be your ally and open up your luck.

During the Meiji period, Otaru flourished as the gateway to the development of Hokkaido.
Kitamae ships flapped their pure white sails across the ocean, traveling to and from Honshu and bringing many goods and cultures to this area.

UNGAPLUS delivers original products that incorporate the history and culture of Otaru, as well as high-quality products from the ports of call of the Kitamae ships, from the former Otaru Main Warehouse, the first commercial warehouse in Hokkaido, built by Kitamae ship owners Nishide Magozaemon and Nishitani Shohachi.

The story of Otaru, which has walked alongside the Kitamae ships, can be heard from this place.

We are looking forward to your visit and have a wide selection of original items that are only available here and make great souvenirs.

Click here for details on "UNGAPLUS"

Facility name　UNGAPLUS (in the former Otaru warehouse)

Address　2-1-20 Ironai, Otaru City, Hokkaido

phone　0134-65-8150

Opening hours　10:00-18:00

Closed days　Open everyday

Home page　Click here

2. Recommended for repeat travelers

Recommended spots for repeat visitors to Otaru①

Otaru Tenguyama

Otaru Tenguyama has long been a symbol of Otaru and has been loved by locals.
It is 532 meters above sea level and can be seen from anywhere in central Otaru.
You can reach the summit by ropeway, which runs every 6 to 12 minutes, or by car (the road is closed during the winter).You can also take a public bus to the base of the mountain where the ropeway runs.
There are five observation decks on Otaru Tenguyama, and the summit observation deck in particular is a must-see spot that has been awarded one star in the Michelin Green Guide Japon. The gorgeous view from the cafe at the top of the mountain is so spectacular you'll want to gaze at it for hours. The night view has also been selected as one of Hokkaido's three best night views.

For more information

Store name　Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway and Ski Resort

address　2-16-15 Mogami, Otaru, Hokkaido,

phone　0134-33-7381

Business hours　vary depending on the season

Closed days　Varies depending on the season

Home page　Click here

Recommended spots for repeat visitors to Otaru②

Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura

At its peak, Otaru had over 50 sake breweries, but now only Tanaka Sake Brewery, which produces Otaru's local sake "Takara-gawa," remains. Tanaka Sake Brewery was founded in 1899 (Meiji 32) and has been in business for 120 years. It has two stores in the city and has been loved by local residents for many years.
Kikkogura, a tourist attraction in Otaru, is a former Okazaki warehouse complex consisting of buildings 1 to 3, built in 1905. They are made of timber-framed stone with one floor and some parts being two-story, and are designated as a "historic building" by the city of Otaru. Tours of Kikkogura are free, but it is recommended to make a reservation in advance for groups of 10 or more.

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Facility name　Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura

address　2-2 Shinkacho, Otaru City, Hokkaido

phone　0134-21-2390

Opening hours　09:05-17:55

Closed days　Open all year round

Home page　Click here

Recommended spots for repeat visitors to Otaru③

Otaru Aquarium

Located in the Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Coast Quasi-National Park facing the Sea of Japan, Otaru Aquarium was built in July 1958 as the "Marine Venue" for the Hokkaido Expo, and opened for business the following year in 1959 as the "Otaru City Aquarium." It is located in Shukutsu, about a 15-minute drive from the Otaru Canal, a famous tourist spot. You can also take a leisurely sightseeing boat ride from Otaru Port Pier No. 3 to get there.
The facility is made up of four areas: the Main Building, which displays a wide variety of seafood; the Dolphin Stadium, where dolphin and sea lion shows are held and enjoyed by the whole family; the Marine Mammal Park, where seals, walruses, sea lions, penguins, and other animals are kept; and the amusement park, Otaru Shukutsu Marineland. At any given time, you can observe the ecology of over 250 types of marine animals and fish up close.
Parking is available for 800 yen for standard cars and 600 yen for compact cars, and can accommodate approximately 1,000 cars.

For more information

Facility name　Otaru Aquarium

address　3-303 Shukutsu, Otaru City, Hokkaido

Business hours
Summer 9:00~17:00
Winter 10:00~16:00

regular holidays　Please check the website for

Home page　Click here

Recommended spots for repeat visitors to Otaru ④

Former Nippon Yusen Co., Ltd. Otaru Branch

The former Otaru branch of Nippon Yusen Kaisha, with its luxurious appearance, gives a glimpse into the prosperity of Otaru during the Meiji period. Built in October 1906 by Nippon Yusen Kaisha, it remains a core company of the Mitsubishi Group. As one of Japan's three major shipping companies, it is well known overseas and is still referred to as the representative of Japanese shipping.
At the time, Otaru was expanding its commercial port functions to Europe as a base for the national Hokkaido development project. At the same time, financial institutions and trading companies were actively moving into the city, to the point that it was called the "Wall Street of the North," and many buildings were constructed by first-class architects showcasing the finest techniques.
This building symbolizes the heyday of Otaru's development. It is a two-story stone structure in the European Renaissance style, and the VIP room inside is an extravagant and luxurious space with a plaster ceiling and chandeliers, crimson curtains, a parquet floor and a striking carpet with a large floral pattern, and gold leather paper with a chrysanthemum crest on the walls, which is said to have been extremely difficult to restore.

For more information

Facility name　Former Nippon Yusen Co., Ltd. Otaru Branch

Address　3-7-8 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido,

phone　0134-22-3316

Opening hours　09:30 - 17:00

Closed
Tuesdays (or the following weekday if Tuesday is a public holiday), New Year's holidays (December 29th to January 3rd)

Home page　Click here

Recommended spots for repeat visitors to Otaru ⑤

Otaru City Herring Palace

The main industry in Hokkaido in the first half of the Meiji era was herring fishing, which had a larger production value than coal mining, which later became the main industry. From the first half of the Meiji era, managers of fixed net (square net/set net) fishing businesses began to build unique buildings that served as both lodgings for the many fishermen and as homes for the managers (masters).
In particular, fishing masters who worked in areas isolated from settlements built huge buildings.
The Tanaka family of Tomari Village on the Shakotan Peninsula also built their main house in 1897.
In the cliff-lined area of Western Shakotan, a fishpond-like inlet called Fukuroman developed where herring were stored in nets. In Tomari village, where the Tanaka family lived, the Fukuroman and brick storehouses still remain, and there was also a huge drying area on top of the cliff.
The herring hut (fishing ground architecture) is characterized by its large gabled exterior, skylight that also serves as a smoke vent, and two entrances for the fishermen and the master. Inside, the master's living space and the fishermen's space coexist separated by a dirt floor, with a built-in sleeping quarters in the fishermen's area.
In 1958, only the main building was relocated to Otaru City (on the current cape).
The scale of the building was reduced in part during the relocation, and its location is also quite different from its original coastal location.

For more information

Facility name　Otaru City Herring Palace

address　3-228 Shukutsu, Otaru City, Hokkaido

phone　0134-22-1038

Opening hours　9:00-17:00 (until 16:00 from October 16th)

Closed days　Open every day during the period: April 3rd (Sat) - November 23rd (Tue), 2021

Home page　Click here

3. Deep Otaru Recommendations

Deep Otaru Recommended Spots ①

Hanazono area (retro drinking district)

Located halfway between JR Otaru Station and Minami-Otaru Station, the Hanazono district, along with the neighboring Inaho district, has long flourished as the center of Otaru City.
National Route 5 crosses the center of the Hanazono district, and on the mountain side across the highway is the area where government offices such as City Hall and Fire Department Headquarters are located. On the sea side is Hanazono Ginza Shopping Street, lined with old-fashioned coffee shops, sushi restaurants, and Chinese restaurants, and if you turn down an alley you'll find a row of small snack bars and drinking establishments. The streets are intertwined like a maze, and it's a deep entertainment district that feels like the setting for a Showa-era movie. Exploring the back alleys in search of shops that interest you is also a fun part of the trip.

Click here for details

Sightseeing spot　Hanazono area (retro drinking district)

address　Hanazono, Otaru City, Hokkaido

Home page　Click here

Deep Otaru Recommended Spots ②

Hokkai Can Warehouse No. 3

Hokkai Can Otaru Factory Warehouse No. 3 was built in 1924 (Taisho 13), the year after the Otaru Canal was completed. It was built as a warehouse to store cans for canned salmon and trout manufactured for seafood processing plants on the Kamchatka Peninsula, where North Pacific fishing was thriving. Otaru is known as the "Wall Street of the North," and is home to a group of bank buildings built with Japan's most advanced technology at the time. This building, like the former Hokkaido Takushoku Bank Otaru Branch, is a valuable early-era reinforced concrete structure. In 2012, it was designated as a historic building by Otaru City.

For more information

Facility name　Otaru Factory Warehouse No.3

address　2-5 Temiya, Otaru, Hokkaido

Opening hours　You can see the exterior all year round

Closed days　The exterior can be viewed all year round

Home page　Click here

Deep Otaru Recommended Spots ③

Otaru Noh Theatre

The Otaru Noh Theatre (formerly the Okazaki Family Noh Stage) is a theatre for Noh performances that was built in Otaru, Hokkaido in 1926. It meets the highest standards for Noh performances established during the Edo period and is a building of great historical and cultural value.
Okazaki Ken, a native of Sado who was successful as a general merchandise merchant and contributed greatly to Otaru as a city council member, built the temple on his own premises in 1926. The temple is made from specially selected materials, including a 2.4m diameter Jindai cedar from Sado, cypress from Kyushu, and pine from Hokkaido, and the paintings of pine trees on the panel and bamboo on the doorway were painted by Kano Mochinobu, the 17th head of the Kano school, during his two-month stay in Otaru.
Since its opening in 1926, the stage has welcomed many distinguished guests (such as Princess Takamatsu and Tokugawa Iesada, chairman of the House of Peers), the head of the school, and Yugen Noh performer Noguchi Kanesuke, and has hosted many important events.After his death, in 1954, according to his will, the stage was donated to the city of Otaru.

For more information

Facility name　Otaru Noh Theater (formerly the Okazaki Family Noh Stage)

address　5-2-1 Hanazono, Otaru City,

phone　0134-22-2796

Opening hours　Open to the public from June to early September

Home page　Click here

Deep Otaru's recommended spots ④

Sumiyoshi Shrine

Sumiyoshi Shrine, located an eight-minute walk from Minami-Otaru Station, was founded in 1868. Its origins date back to 1865, when Kikuchi Shigetaka, the head priest of Hakodate Hachimangu Shrine, enshrined Sumiyoshi Okami as the guardian deity of Otaru and Takashima. In 1881, the shrine was built at its current location, making it a historic shrine with 150 years of history. Now, as the guardian deity of Otaru, Otaru Sumiyoshi Shrine is the name that always comes up when talking about shrines in Otaru.
The enshrined deities are the "Three Sumiyoshi Gods" - Sokotsutsuno-no-kami, Nakatsutsuno-no-kami, and Uwatsutsuno-no-kami - and Okinagatarashihime-no-mikoto. According to the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki, these deities were born from the water that flowed from the body of Izanagi-no-Mikoto when he performed a purification ritual. The deities are considered to be the gods of the sea, safe navigation, waka poetry, and easy childbirth, and this shrine has deep roots in Otaru, a port town that prospered through maritime trade.

For more information

Facility name　Sumiyoshi Shrine

address　2-5 Suminoe, Otaru City,

phone　0134-23-0785

Opening hours　24 hours

Home page　Click here

Deep Otaru's recommended spots ⑤

Night view of Otaru

Otaru is known for its beautiful night views, with the view from Mt. Tengu being one of Hokkaido's top three night views. The proximity of the sea, city, and mountains, and the blending of residential areas with hotels and other amenities, create a compact, beautifully shining night view that is captivating from any direction.

For more information

Famous places
Tenguyama, Kenashiyama Observatory, Suitengu Shrine, Hiraiso Park, Asahi Observatory, Temiya Park

Opening hours　24 hours

Closed days　Open everyday

4. An even deeper Otaru

Deeper Otaru①

Oshoro Stone Circle

In the western part of Otaru City, on a small river terrace, there is a stone circle made up of large and small stones arranged in an oval shape, measuring 33m long and 22m wide, stretching north to south. The gentle slope at an altitude of 20m was carved to create a flat surface, which was then filled with gravel and the standing stones were then placed. This is a valuable archaeological site where you can see the aftermath of large-scale civil engineering work undertaken by ancient people right before your eyes.
Research conducted to date has revealed that the stone circle was constructed in the late Jomon period (approximately 3,500 years ago), that the standing stones were not transported from the surrounding coast but from Cape Shiripa in Yoichi Town, about 9 km away in a straight line, and that large wooden pillars were erected around the stone circle.

For more information

Scenic spot　Oshoro Stone Circle

address　2-chome, Oshiro, Otaru, Hokkaido

phone　Otaru City Museum 0134-33-2523

Opening hours　Free to visit

Closed days　Open to the public

Home page　Click here

Deeper Otaru②

Temiya Cave

Approximately 1,600 years ago, the Jomon period had already ended in Honshu, and the transition from the Yayoi period to the Kofun period was underway. However, in Hokkaido, a hunter-gatherer lifestyle known as the "Post-Jomon period" continued. The wall carvings inside Temiya Cave are valuable carvings carved by people from that time. There are currently 34 motifs that can be seen inside the cave, many of which are repeated "Y" shapes. The only cave ruins in Japan with such intaglio paintings remaining are the Fugoppe Cave (Yoichi Town: National Historic Site).

For more information

Store name　Otaru Temiya Cave

address　1-3-4 Temiya, Otaru City,

phone　0134-24-1092 / 0134-33-2523 (Otaru City Museum Main Building)

Opening hours　9:30~17:00

Closed　Tuesdays

Home page　Click here

Deeper Otaru③

Northernmost point of the North Canal

The North Canal, where traces of the past remain intact, is home to many historical buildings and stone warehouses built during the Meiji period, such as the former Nippon Yusen Otaru Branch and the former Shibusawa Warehouse. Many things remain that tell of Otaru's past, such as gas lamps and the Hokkai Can Otaru Factory. One of the markets frequented by Otaru residents, the Rinyu Morning Market, which opens at 4am, the earliest in Otaru, is also located here.
Unlike the bustling Otaru Canal area, which is becoming increasingly touristy, this is a quiet area that still retains the atmosphere of an old port town. You can enjoy the good old days of Otaru, where the gentle atmosphere of the past remains. We recommend taking a leisurely stroll.

For more information on

Facility name　Northernmost point of the North Canal

Address　3-chome, Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido

Home page　Click here

Deeper Otaru ④

Mount Akaiwa

Located in the northwest of Otaru City, Mt. Akaiwa looks like a hill when viewed from the city center, but when viewed from the sea side on a sightseeing boat that tours the Omotai Coast, the rugged appearance of the numerous reddish-brown rock formations and peaks rising from zero meters above sea level is an overwhelming sight. It is also one of the leading rock climbing fields in Hokkaido, and many climbers come to climb the rocks.

For more information

Scenic spot　Mount Akaiwa

Opening hours　24 hours

Closed days　Open everyday

Home page　Click here

Deeper Otaru ⑤

Otamoi Beach

Otamoi Coast, located in the northern part of Otaru, is part of the Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Coast Quasi-National Park, which became the third site in Hokkaido to be designated a national park in 1963. This secluded spot offers a spectacular view of the clear blue waters of Shakotan, with sheer cliffs and oddly shaped rock formations, all visible from the seaside on a sightseeing boat. The mysterious-sounding name "Otamoi" is said to come from the Ainu language, meaning "sand cove." It is currently the only place name in Otaru written in katakana.
Otamoi has a little-known history. In the early Showa period, this area was home to a huge resort called Otamoi Amusement Park. The main attraction within the park was Ryugukaku, a huge three-story inn built halfway up a steep cliff. Built on numerous pillars on the cliff, most of the building jutted out into the sea, and at the time it was said to be more impressive than Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

For more information

Sightseeing Spot　Otamoi Beach

Business hours　Please check the operation of sightseeing boats

Closed days　Please check if sightseeing boats are operating.

Home page　Click here

5. Delicious Otaru specialties and gourmet food

Travelling around Otaru - luck is in the air

From the Meiji to Taisho periods, Otaru served as the gateway to Hokkaido and became a major logistics hub. At the time, the city grew to become the leading commercial city in northern Japan and reached the height of its prosperity. The city is lined with historical buildings that retain the vestiges of its prosperity, including the Otaru Canal, which was created by reclaiming land from the sea during the Taisho period and became nationally famous as a result of the preservation movement of the Showa period. Today, the nostalgic townscape is one of the most popular tourist spots in Hokkaido.

We at UNGAPLUS have picked out some recommended spots that you should definitely visit when you come to Otaru. We have selected Otaru's lucky spots, tourist attractions and historical sites, historical buildings, and hidden spots loved by locals, and categorized them into "Things to Do in Otaru" and also introduced them as "Model Courses" for beginners to Otaru.