Home > Otaru Tourism Portal >Otaru Events

Otaru, a neighboring city about 40 minutes by train from Sapporo, is a popular tourist destination. Otaru's famous canal scenery and sushi are some of its specialties, and its easy access means that it attracts many tourists throughout the year. If you're visiting Otaru, one of the things to enjoy is visiting during one of the seasonal events. There are plenty of events to enjoy, such as the port festival, which is typical of Otaru facing the sea, and light-up festivals that take advantage of the beautiful snowy scenery. We'll introduce some recommended seasonal events in Otaru.

↓ February Otaru Snow Light Path
↓ February to March Tanaka Sake Brewery Main Branch's Doll Festival
↓ March Otaru Taiko Festival
↓ May Otaru Spring Festival
↓ May to June Peony Festival
↓ July Otaru Ushio Festival
↓ July Marine Festa in Otaru
↓ September Otaru Shukutsu Fireworks Festival
↓ October Oktoberfest
↓ November to February Otaru and Yoichi Snow Story
↓ December Otaru Snow Fireworks

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.

Otaru's seasonal events

February Otaru Snow Light Path

The Otaru Snow Light Path began in 1999 (Heisei 11) as a measure to alleviate the decline in tourists during the winter. Held annually in February, it has now become one of Otaru's most iconic events, attracting approximately 500,000 visitors over the course of its 10-day run. The name comes from the poem "Snow Light Path" by Otaru-born poet Sei Ito. The warm glow of candles envelops Otaru's unique old streets, home to numerous historical buildings such as banks and warehouses built during the Meiji and Taisho periods. Over 100,000 candles are used during the event, and the lighting is carried out with the help of volunteers from Japan and abroad, cherishing the warmth of human connection.

February to March: Tanaka Sake Brewery Main Branch's Doll Festival

This event, held at the Tanaka Sake Brewery Main Branch, displays Hina dolls from different eras donated by Otaru citizens, and is held to pray for the healthy growth and happiness of girls. Approximately 200 Hina dolls are on display, including some that were made as far back as the early Showa period, wooden Hina dolls, and all-handmade washi paper Hina dolls. During the event, limited quantities of "Peach Amazake" (a type of sweet sake) and "Amazake Sakuramochi" (a type of sweet sake made with sake lees), which are associated with the Girls' Festival, will be sold, along with "Hina Sake Manju" (a type of sweet sake bun), "Sakagura Dorayaki (a type of sweet sake bun), "Amazake Mousse" and "Sake Kasu Yokan" (a type of sweet sake jelly), all made with fragrant Junmai Daiginjo sake lees.

March: Otaru Taiko Festival

The Otaru Taiko Festival brings together groups from Otaru and Shiribeshi to perform a powerful taiko drumming performance on the stage of the Civic Hall's large hall. The festival is held with the aim of encouraging groups that don't usually have the opportunity to perform together to raise their level. Not only can you hear the unique performances of each group, but at the end, representatives from all the participating groups come on stage together to perform a powerful joint performance by all the groups, which is a highlight.

May: Otaru Spring Festival

The Otaru Spring Festival is an annual spring event held in late May that both locals and tourists can enjoy. It's a three-day event where you can fully enjoy spring in Otaru by eating and playing. This festival is beloved by many as a local spring tradition. It is a large-scale festival jointly held by eight shopping districts in the city. One thing you can't miss is the wide variety of food stalls where you can enjoy Otaru cuisine. Hokkaido is full of delicious food, so everything you eat is delicious. There are also plenty of participatory events, such as karaoke competitions and speed-eating contests.

May-June Otaru Guest House Former Aoyama Villa
"Peony and Peony Festival"

The former Aoyama Villa is a nationally designated tangible cultural property. Also known as the Herring Palace, the building is a 650-square-foot mansion said to have cost 3 billion yen in current terms to build. The Peony and Peony Festival is held in late May, coinciding with the blossoming of the peonies and peony flowers in the courtyard. The 750 flowers, including 430 peonies of 40 different species and 320 peony plants of 37 different species, are in full bloom, creating an even more gorgeous and elegant atmosphere.

July Otaru Ushio Festival

The Otaru Ushio Festival, held every July, is a major summer event in Otaru that began as an opportunity to pass on Otaru's history and culture to the next generation and pray for the city's development. It's three days packed with exciting events, including the Ushio-nerikomi dance parade by local businesses and organizations, a portable shrine parade, and Ushio Taiko drumming. The fireworks display on the final day of the festival is spectacular, featuring star mines and other fireworks. The launch site is close to the city center, so the fireworks can be seen over a wide area, and can also be seen from Tenguyama, Hiraiso Park, and Kenashiyama Observatory.

July Marine Festa in Otaru

The Marine Festa in Otaru is a sea festival held at five venues throughout the city. It is an event that symbolizes the port city of Otaru, and is a beloved summer tradition in the region. Among the events, the Jet Ski Experience held at Chikko Waterfront Park and the Cruiser and Motorboat Experience Ride held at Otaru Port Marina are particularly popular. You can have an experience that you wouldn't normally have the chance to have.

September: Otaru Shukutsu Fireworks Festival

The Shukutsu Fireworks Festival is the finale of the Otaru fireworks festivals. It is a unique, handmade festival held mainly by local residents, with fireworks being used to pray for a good catch, as well as for memorials and celebrations. The fireworks are a massive event, with around 1,500 fireworks launched from Shukutsu Maehama in Otaru at around 7:00 PM. On the day of the festival, the Otaru Herring Palace is illuminated from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, creating a sight that can only be seen here. There are also festival-like stalls lined up near the venue, allowing you to feel the atmosphere of a summer festival that is far from over.

October Otaru Warehouse No. 1
"Oktoberfest"

This annual event is inspired by Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival held in Germany, the home of beer. Oktoberfest began with a beer brewed for the Royal Wedding in 1810, and is held annually for two weeks starting in late September at Munich's Theresaplatz. Approximately 6.7 million people from around the world gather at Oktoberfest in search of the unique beer they can only experience. Approximately 5.6 million liters of beer are consumed. Otaru Beer's "Otaru Fest Beer" recreates the festival beer enjoyed there. It has a strong malt aroma and a slight sweetness. During the festival, Otaru Warehouse No. 1 offers all-you-can-drink beer, including beer, for three hours for a fixed price. It's a must-try for beer lovers.

November to February Otaru and Yoichi Snow Story

The long-running winter promotion, "Otaru-Yoichi Snow Story," runs from November to mid-February. Until 10:30 PM, the Otaru Canal will be romantically illuminated with approximately 10,000 blue LED lights, creating a "Blue Canal." During this period, the popular canal cruise will also be decorated with blue lights. The blue of the illuminations, combined with the blue of the sky, creates a fantastical atmosphere along the Otaru Canal. Additionally, inside the Otaru Canal Plaza, the tourist hub, will be a "Wine Glass Tower" made up of 2,000 wine glasses, handcrafted by local residents. At JR Otaru Station, a "Glass Art Gallery" will be exhibiting artwork from glass workshops in the city, welcoming visitors as they disembark at the station in winter. The "Yoichi Snow Story" will also begin at the same time in the neighboring town of Yoichi, so we recommend enjoying both events.

December Otaru Snow Fireworks

The winter fireworks festival held in Otaru from 2000 to 2011 was the last one to be held in 2011. A group of volunteers in their 30s and 40s from Otaru came together to recreate the spectacle they had seen as students, and in 2019 they launched the Otaru Snow Fireworks Project, a project to make large flowers bloom in the winter night sky. The Otaru Snow Fireworks are characterized by a romantic performance that synchronizes fireworks with music, creating a beautiful display in the winter night sky. On the day of the event, there will also be a music event at Wing Bay Otaru, and food booths will be set up.

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 047-0031

phone : 0134-65-8150

Opening hours : 10:00~18:00

Closed days : Open everyday

Home page : Click here for the homepage

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