Home > Otaru Tourism Portal >The Royal Road of Otaru

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. Even if you are visiting Otaru for the first time, we will introduce you to the main attractions and shops in Otaru so that you can enjoy the city with peace of mind.

Former Otaru Warehouse

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.

22 must-see spots in Otaru

↓ Otaru Station
↓ Otaru Triangle Market
↓ Old Temiya Line
↓ Otaru Canal
↓ Otaru Canal Cruise
↓ UNGAPLUS
↓ Otaru Museum Canal Hall
↓ Naruto Main Store
↓ Otaru Sushi Street
↓ Sakaimachi Shopping Street
↓ Otaru Taisho Glass Museum
↓ Kitaichi Glass
↓ LeTAO
↓ Otaru Music Box Museum
↓ Otaru Kamaei
↓ Tanaka Sake Brewery
↓ Otaru Tenguyama
↓ Blue Cave
↓ Otaru Aquarium
↓ Nippon Yusen Co., Ltd.
↓ Otaru City Herring Palace
↓ Otaru Noh Theatre

1. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Station

Otaru Station, the gateway to tourism in Otaru, opened in 1903 as Hokkaido Railway's "Otaru Central Station." It was renamed "Takashima Station" and "Chuo Otaru Station" several times, and finally became Otaru Station in 1920, reflecting the name of the former Otaru Station (now Minami Otaru Station).

The current station building is the third generation. Due to the gradient of the tracks, it was built on the hillside, so to get to the first and second generation station buildings, the road in front of the station was steep, which made it difficult for horse-drawn carriages to travel.

The current station building was completed in early 1934 as a reinforced concrete structure, with a platform located on the second floor behind the main building. The exterior was modeled after Ueno Station, which had opened two years earlier, with a symmetrical modern design. This style was also used at Chiayi Station in Taiwan, which was under Japanese rule at the time, and was a typical structure for urban station buildings designed by the Ministry of Railways at the time.

The old stationmaster's office on the concourse has been preserved in its original form and is open to the public during events. The "Okuai Kane" bell at the front of the station building was rung to announce the arrival of trains from the time the station opened until around 1965. Additionally, Yujiro Ishihara, who has a deep connection with Otaru, got off at platform 4 when he visited Otaru for a film shoot. Since 2003, platform 4 has been nicknamed the "Yujiro Platform," and a life-size panel of him has been installed.

Facility name　Otaru Station
Address:　2-22-15 Inaho, Otaru City,
phone　0134-22-0771
Business hours　Midori no Madoguchi 5:30-22:45
Closed days　None
Home page　Click here

2. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Triangle Market

Otaru Triangle Market is lined with 16 stores, 6 of which are restaurants where you can enjoy meals from 7am to 5pm. They offer rice bowls made with fresh seafood and daily set meals made with seasonal ingredients, and you can also have the products you buy at the market cooked on the spot to create your own original rice bowl.

The total length is about 200m, and on both sides of the narrow slope about 2m wide there are 16 stores, 6 of which are restaurants where you can enjoy meals from 7am to 5pm. They offer rice bowls made with fresh seafood and daily set meals made with seasonal ingredients, and you can also have the products you buy at the market cooked on the spot to create your own original rice bowl.

The market is said to have begun around 1948, shortly after the war. It began with 7-8 street vendors opening up in front of Otaru Station, and later developed into a morning market. In addition to fresh seafood such as crab, sea urchin, and scallops, you can also buy vegetables, fruit, and daily necessities, making it a very convenient and popular market for everyday shopping and choosing souvenirs.

Facility name　Otaru Triangle Market
Address　3-10-16 Inaho, Otaru City, Hokkaido,
phone　0134-23-2446
Opening hours　06:00-17:00
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

3. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Former Temiya Line

The abandoned Temiya Line, a 10-minute walk from JR Otaru Station, is a popular tourist spot in Otaru. It was originally opened in 1880 by American railway engineer Joseph Urry Crawford as the first railway in Hokkaido and the third in Japan, for the purpose of transporting coal, from Temiya to Sapporo.

After bustling with activity as a shipping port for 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 abandoned in November 1985. Otaru City has paved 1.6 km of the abandoned Temiya Line, leaving behind the remains of the tracks and crossing gates, and has developed it into a walking path. The Otaru City Museum also uses the former Temiya Station as its main building, where it exhibits a steam locomotive that was once used on the Temiya Line and a Bank of Japan cash transport car.

In recognition of its contribution to the modernization of Japan, the former Temiya Line site has been registered as an American-style railway heritage site in Hokkaido by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a modern industrial heritage site.

Facility name　Former 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.

4. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Canal

The Otaru Canal, a popular tourist spot known nationwide, was completed in 1923. It was not a canal dug inland, but was built by reclaiming land offshore from the coast, and is therefore notable for being gently curved rather than straight.

To make loading and unloading more efficient, an artificial island was constructed over a period of nine years, starting in 1914, and unloading operations could now be carried out around it. At that time, the water surface remaining between the original quay and the artificial island, measuring 1,314m in length and 40m in width, came to be known as the "Otaru Canal."

After its completion in 1923, the canal supported the prosperity of the commercial city of Otaru for a while, but after the war, when a wharf was built at Otaru Port, the barge loading and unloading operations gradually decreased, and when a large port was built on the Pacific side of the city, many ships shifted to Pacific routes. The Otaru Canal gradually became a useless place where sludge and garbage accumulated.

A plan was put forward to fill in the canal, build a three-lane road, and once again turn Otaru into a logistics hub. In response to this plan, a citizens' movement arose calling for the canal to be preserved as a symbol of Otaru, which led to the "Otaru Canal Preservation Movement," which became a national topic.

As a result, the southern half of the Prefectural Route 1 Taruko Line was reclaimed for road construction, but the canal was remodeled into a walking path with cobblestones and gas lamps, and the beautiful scenery has been transformed into a popular tourist spot representing Hokkaido that continues to attract many people. The northern side (commonly known as the North Canal) still retains its original width of 40m.

Facility name 　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

5. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

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. It's a short boat trip of about 40 minutes that allows you to rediscover the charm of Otaru, a city of history and romance.

The charm of the Otaru Canal Cruise is that you can enjoy different canal scenery in each season, spring, summer, autumn, winter, and at different times of the day, such as before sunset, during the day, or after sunset. Come experience the approximately 40-minute Otaru Canal Cruise, where you can enjoy a different experience and canal scenery no matter when you come.

The fare for the day cruise is 1,800 yen for adults and 500 yen for children, and the fare for the night cruise is 2,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children. Brochures are available in Japanese, multilingual versions (English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)), and Korean).

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
Home page　Click here

6. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

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. Kitamaebune ships flapped their pure white sails across the ocean, transporting many goods and cultures to and from Honshu.

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.

Store name　UNGAPLUS (in the former Otaru warehouse)
address　2-1-20 Ironai, Otaru
phone　0134-65-8150
Opening hours　10:00~18:00
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

7. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Museum Canal Hall

The Otaru City Museum has two facilities: the main building and the Canal building. The two facilities are about a 20-minute walk away from each other.

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 Canal Museum, formerly a museum, 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 plants and animals. It is 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.

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

8. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Young Chicken Era Naruto Main Store

One of the most famous restaurants in Otaru is Wakadori Jidai Naruto Honten, nicknamed "Naruto." Since its founding in 1965 (Showa 40), it has been loved as a soul food for the people of Otaru and can be said to be the originator of fried chicken halves in Hokkaido.

The main store in Inaho, Otaru City, offers a wide variety of menu items, including their signature product, "half-fried young chicken," which has become famous nationwide, as well as sushi and rice bowls made with Otaru seafood, various set meals, curry, tempura, ramen, and more.

The fried chicken half has been made with the same traditional taste since the restaurant first opened, with a crispy skin and juicy inside. The excess fat has been removed, making it less greasy than it looks and surprisingly refreshing. The slightly salty seasoning goes perfectly with rice and beer.

All fees must be paid in advance, and if you order additional items, you will be billed each time.

Facility name　Naruto Main Store
Address　3-16-13 Inaho, Otaru City, Hokkaido,
phone　0134-32-3280
Opening hours　11:00-20:30
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

9. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Sushi Street

Hokkaido has a unique sushi culture that is different from Edomae. As the slang term "Ezomae" suggests, there are many restaurants that use fresh seafood without preserving it in vinegar or salt.

Otaru has a large port and is known as a treasure trove of seafood, a bounty of Ishikari Bay, and is also famous as a city of sushi.The fresh, high-quality seafood gained a reputation, and young people who had trained all over the country from the Taisho to Meiji periods flocked to Otaru to open restaurants.

The street lined with nearly 20 sushi restaurants in the area heading towards the canal from Otaru Station is known as "Sushi Street." Not only do the ingredients here have high quality, but chefs from all over the country come to compete with each other to show off their skills.

Facility name　Otaru Sushi Street
Address　1-1-9 Hanazono, Otaru City, Hokkaido,
Home page　Click here

10. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Sakaimachi Shopping Street

When it comes to sightseeing in Otaru, Sakaimachi Shopping Street is the second most popular spot after the Otaru Canal. It is a place that is almost a must-visit when you come to Otaru.

Sakaimachi Street is lined with nationally famous stores such as Kitaichi Glass, LeTAO, Otaru Music Box Museum, and Kamaei, and many shops are located in historical buildings, creating a romantic, atmospheric streetscape.

The approximately 900m street stretching from Sakaimachi Intersection, nicknamed Marchen Intersection, towards Ironai Boulevard, once known as the Wall Street of the North and home to a constant stream of bank branches, is home to many souvenir shops and gourmet spots, making it a popular shopping area with many tourists.

The "night light" installed at Marchen Intersection is a reproduction of a wooden lighthouse that stood on a hill in Shinkacho, Otaru City during the Meiji period. It is also popular as a photo spot and rest area.

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

11. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Taisho Glass Museum

Otaru Glass House has 13 stores in Hokkaido, mainly in Otaru City, and its flagship store is the Otaru Taisho Glass House. It is said that many excellent glass works were created in Japan during the Taisho period.

The Otaru Taisho Glass Museum exhibits and sells a wide variety of glass products, including Japanese-style glassware that inherits the style of the time, with the concept of "conveying the beauty of the Taisho era to the present day."

The Otaru Taisho Glass Museum is a renovated version of the Natori Takasaburo Shoten store, which was built in 1906 (Meiji 39). Built by Natori Takasaburo, a copper and iron hardware merchant from Yamanashi Prefecture, the former Natori Takasaburo Shoten is a typical example of merchant architecture from the late Meiji period, with Sapporo soft stone used for the exterior walls and steel pillars supporting the upper walls.

It was designated as a historic building by Otaru City in 1985 (Showa 60). The shop is lined with glass products made in the company's own glass workshop, including Japanese-style glassware, accessories, and miniature ornaments that exude the warmth of handmade items, as well as glass products made in Otaru. There is also a full menu of hands-on experiences available, including glassblowing and glass bead making.

Facility name　Otaru Taisho Glass Museum
Address　1-1-8 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido,
phone　0134-32-5101
Opening hours　09:00-19:00
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

12. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Kitaichi Glass

Kitaichi Glass, famous as a mecca for tourism in Otaru, has 17 stores in the city, including glassware galleries such as Building No. 3, as well as restaurants and cafes.

Kitaichi Glass is a glass brand that represents Otaru, and has grown alongside Otaru's modern history. Asahara Glass, the predecessor of Kitaichi Glass, was founded in 1901 (Meiji 34). The company manufactured and sold oil lamps and fishing floats, and saw rapid growth in business.

However, as electricity and oil became more widespread, the era shifted from glass to plastic, and by 1960 (Showa 35), the city had only one glass manufacturer, Asahara Glass.

Things started to pick up again in the 1970s, and the company changed its name to Kitaichi Glass in 1971. The decision to stock glass kerosene lamps, which were once a daily necessity, on store shelves proved successful.

At the time, backpackers known as the "Crab Tribe" brought back oil lamps as souvenirs, which became popular as interior decorations, and their reputation quickly spread throughout the country.

In the 1980s, with the redevelopment of the Otaru Canal, a fishing warehouse built in 1891 (Meiji 24) was converted into a permanent gallery for tourists, which became a huge hit. Through this development, Kitaichi Glass successfully shifted its business model from manufacturing and selling lighting to selling glassware.

Currently, in addition to purchasing and selling products from domestic and international glass manufacturers and trading companies, we also plan our own products, operate affiliated factories, and operate restaurants and cafes, as well as selling alcoholic beverages such as sake and wine.

Facility name　Kitaichi Glass
Address　1-6-10 Hanazono, Otaru City, Hokkaido,
phone　0134-33-1993
Opening hours　08:45-18:00
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

13. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Pastry Shop LeTAO

LeTAO was founded in 1998 (Heisei 10) in a prime location facing Marchen Intersection, with the theme of "Northern Sweets Manner - Delivering sweets rooted in the northern land to the whole country."

Its official name is "Otaru Western Confectionery Shop LeTAO." It has become so famous nationwide that there is no one who doesn't know the name. It is one of the must-see attractions when you come to Otaru.

Currently, there are six stores with different concepts in Otaru City, each offering a wide selection of limited edition products and exquisite sweets.

It was the milky, smooth cheesecake "Double Fromage" that made LeTAO famous nationwide. It became a nationwide hit after being featured on a TV program in 2005. Now, when people think of Otaru sweets, they think of LeTAO.

Facility name　Otaru Western Confectionery Shop LeTAO
Address　7-16 Sakaimachi, Otaru City, Hokkaido,
phone　0120-468-825
Opening hours　9:00-17:00
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

14. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Music Box Museum

One of Otaru's most popular tourist spots, the Otaru Music Box Museum, is one of Japan's largest music box specialty stores, and is marked by a steam clock at Marchen Intersection.

There are seven sister stores in Otaru, including the main store at Marchen Crossroads. Including original music boxes, there are about 5,000 types and a total of about 80,000 music boxes on display and for sale throughout the stores. The main store alone has about 3,400 types and a total of more than 25,000 music boxes.

The building was constructed in 1915 (Taisho 4) as the headquarters of Kyosei Co., Ltd., a leading rice merchant.

The Otaru Music Box Museum was registered as a designated historic building by Otaru City on March 29, 1989 (Showa 64), the day it opened. The decorated ceiling, handrails, and second-floor corridor remain as they were when it was first built.

The store is divided into five floors, each with its own theme, featuring beautiful decorations and music boxes with their own unique sounds. The steam clock that serves as the symbol of the main entrance is the world's largest steam clock, measuring 5.5m in height, 1m in width, and weighing 1.5 tons. It was made by Raymond Sanders, a Canadian clockmaker who created the world's first steam clock. Powered by steam, five whistles play a five-note melody every 15 minutes.

Facility name　Otaru Music Box Museum
Address　4-1 Sumiyoshicho, Otaru City, Hokkaido
phone　0134-22-1108
Opening hours　9:00-18:00
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

15. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Kamaei

Kamaei, a popular kamaboko shop in Otaru that has been loved by many Hokkaido residents as well as Otaru residents for many years, was founded in 1905 (Meiji 38). Now boasting a history of over 100 years, the shop operates a total of 12 stores, including four in the city, six in Sapporo, and one at the airport.

In addition to the red and white kamaboko boards that are essential for celebrations, there are also non-fried kamaboko boards such as "uni board" and "yaki board", and there are many Hokkaido local fans who say that "Kamaei's kamaboko is the only choice for celebrations."

At the main factory in Sakaimachi, Otaru, you can observe the skilled craftsmen making kamaboko for free through the glass, and the kamaboko fried on the spot is very popular.

Our top recommendation is the "Bread Roll," which is only available at this store and was developed by the previous president in 1962. The bread roll is made by wrapping minced pollack, minced pork, and onion in an extremely thin piece of bread and deep-frying it, and is a masterpiece of kamaboko cuisine with a crispy texture, just the right amount of saltiness, and the sweetness of the minced fish perfectly matched.

Facility name　Otaru Kamaei Kamaboko
Address　3-7 Sakaimachi, Otaru City, Hokkaido,
phone　0134-25-5802
Opening hours　09:00-19:00
Closed days　Open everyday
Home page　Click here

16. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura

At its peak, Otaru had over 50 sake breweries, but now only Tanaka Sake Brewery remains, producing Otaru's local sake, Takaragawa.

Tanaka Sake Brewery is a sake brewery that has been in business for 120 years since its founding in 1899 (Meiji 32), and has two stores in the city, where it 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, with a wooden-framed stone structure and one floor with some parts being two stories, and is designated as a "historic building" by Otaru City.

Tanaka Sake Brewery has three distinctive features. First, all of their sake is made from rice grown in Hokkaido. Second, all of the sake they produce is pure rice sake. Third, they are a "four-season brewery" that brews sake throughout the year.

While sake is generally brewed in the winter, a process known as "cold brewing," Kikkogura brews sake all year round, meaning you can observe sake brewing at any time of the year.

Tanaka Sake Brewery has been using "Suisei" rice grown in Niseko, Otofuke, Furubira, Atsuma, etc. since 1998, when Hokkaido rice suitable for sake brewing was born. "Freshly squeezed unpasteurized sake" is a precious product that can only be tasted at the brewery, but here at Kikkogura, you can sample it all year round.

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 everyday
Home page　Click here

17. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru Tenguyama

Otaru Tenguyama has long been a symbol of Otaru and beloved by locals. At 532 meters above sea level, it can be seen from anywhere in the city center.

You can reach the summit by ropeway, which runs every 6 to 12 minutes, or by car (roads are closed during the winter).

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 Japan. It is a great viewpoint from which you can see the miniature cityscape below, Otaru Port, Ishikari Bay, and on clear days, the distant Shokanbetsu mountain range and Shakotan Peninsula.

The beautiful night view, like a studded jewel, is said to be one of the "Three Great Night Views of Hokkaido." The varied city lights, created by the terrain surrounded by the port and mountains, make for a night view you will never tire of.

At the Tengu House at the top of the mountain, there are about 700 Tengu masks, both large and small, collected from all over Japan on display. The Nose-Stroking Tengu is said to grant wishes if you stroke the tip of its nose, and there are legends that it has magical powers that ward off evil and grant wishes, so why not give it a try?

Another sight that has become increasingly popular in recent years is the "sea of clouds." In Otaru, the chances of them occurring seem to increase from late spring through early summer. It's difficult to see a sea of clouds unless certain conditions, such as the weather and topography, are met, but at Otaru Tenguyama, there are days when you can enjoy rare and spectacular views that can't be seen anywhere else, such as "sea of clouds + night view" or "sea of clouds + sunset."

Facility name　Otaru Tenguyama
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

18. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Blue Cave

The beautiful, sparkling blue "Blue Cave" was created by a combination of various coincidences, including the unique topography created by seawater erosion, the direction and angle of the sunlight, and the transparency of the seawater. When sunlight pours into the cave's entrance, the ocean absorbs the other six of its seven colors, leaving only the blue, causing the sea surface to glow blue.

The Italian island of Capri is world famous, but there are several places in Japan called the "Blue Grotto," and in fact, you can see the "Blue Grotto" in the waters off Otaru and Shakotan.

The Blue Cave in Otaru and Shakotan, facing the Sea of Japan, is renowned for the beautiful contrast between the rugged rocks and the refreshing blue waters. The entrance to Otaru's Blue Cave is wider than other caves, so you can explore the cave from a small boat.

Facility name　Otaru Blue Cave Dragon Palace Cruise
Address　4-5 Minatomachi, Otaru City, Hokkaido
phone　0134-32-3911
Opening hours　08:30-17:30
Closed days　May change depending on weather conditions, etc. Please check the website for details.
Home page　Click here

Facility name　The Original! Blue Cave Cruise / Tsuusen Co., Ltd.
Address　3-1 Ironai, Otaru City, Hokkaido
phone　0134-23-8942
Opening hours　09:00-19:00
Closed days　May change depending on weather conditions, etc. Please check the website for details.
Home page　Click here

Facility name　Blue Cave Exciting Cruise Otaru
Address　3-6-17 Ironai, Otaru City, Hokkaido
phone　080-6076-5599
Opening hours　08:30-17:30
Closed days　May change depending on weather conditions, etc. Please check the website for details.
Home page　Click here

19. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

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 "Ocean Venue" for the Hokkaido Exposition, and began operations the following year in 1959 as the "Otaru City Aquarium."

The location is in Shukutsu, about a 15-minute drive from the famous tourist spot, Otaru Canal. You can also take a leisurely sightseeing boat ride from Otaru Port Pier No. 3.

The facility is made up of four areas: the Main Building, which displays a wide variety of seafood; the Dolphin Stadium, where you can enjoy dolphin and sea lion shows; the Marine Mammal Park, where seals, walruses, sea lions, and penguins 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.

The main building has a variety of elaborate exhibits where you can enjoy observing marine life, and the Dolphin Stadium and Marine Mammal Park regularly hold shows that you won't want to miss.

The spectacular diving shows of sea lions and the giant walrus performances are just as popular as the dolphin shows, which feature a succession of acrobatic performances. The marine mammal park makes use of a natural inlet, and wild sea lions and spotted seals sometimes stray into the park from the shore, and in fact, there have been cases where they have been kept as pets.

Facility name　Otaru Aquarium
address　3-303 Shukutsu, Otaru City, Hokkaido
Business hours　Summer 9:00~17:00
Winter 10:00~16:00
Please check the website for regular holidays
Home page　Click here

20. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

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.

Kinkarakawa paper is a traditional Japanese craft that was created based on "kinkarakawa," a leather craft invented in Europe during the Renaissance. When it was exhibited at the Vienna World Exposition, it attracted a lot of attention in Europe and was eventually exported.

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 on　Tuesdays (or the following weekday if Tuesday is a public holiday)
New Year's holiday (December 29th to January 3rd)
Home page　Click here

21. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

Otaru City Herring Palace

In the first half of the Meiji era, herring fishing was the main industry in Hokkaido, with a larger production value than coal mining, which later became the main industry.

From the early Meiji period, managers of fixed net (square net/set net) fishing businesses began to build unique buildings that served as both lodgings for their numerous fishermen and residences for the managers (masters). Masters who fished in areas isolated from settlements in particular built huge buildings.

The Tanaka family of Tomari Village on the Shakotan Peninsula also built their main house in 1897. In western Shakotan, where cliffs continue, fishpond-like inlets called Fukuroman, where nets containing herring were stored, developed, and in Tomari Village, where the Tanaka family lived, the Fukuroman and brick storehouse still remain, and there was also a huge drying area on the cliffs.

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.

This building was relocated to Otaru City (on the current cape) in 1958, with only the main house being rebuilt. The scale was reduced in part during the relocation, and the location is also very different from its original coastal location.

It is now open to the public as the Otaru City Herring Palace, a museum exhibiting folk tools, documents, literature, photographs, and more related to herring fishing. Please take a look around the area along with the remaining fishermen's houses of Shukutsu.

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

22. Otaru Sightseeing - Touring the Royal Roads of Otaru

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.

It was founded in 1926 within the premises of his home by Okazaki Ken, a native of Sado who was a successful general merchandise merchant and contributed greatly to the city of Otaru as a city council member.

The materials used include specially selected 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 door opening were painted by Kano Mochinobu, the 17th head of the Kano school, during a 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.

In 1961, when the Public Hall was relocated, the Noh stage (excluding the viewing area and dressing room) of the Noh Theatre, which had been located on the grounds of the Okazaki Residence, was moved to its current location. Currently, the theatre is open to the public in the summer, and various events are held by volunteer civic groups to share its historical value.

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

UNGAPLUS

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" Store name　UNGAPLUS

address　2-1-20 Ironai, Otaru

phone　0134-65-8150

Opening hours　10:00~18:00

Closed days 　Open everyday

Home page　Click here