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Hokkaido is blessed with vast land and beautiful nature. Located on the Sea of Japan side of Hokkaido, Otaru is a popular tourist destination with easy access from Sapporo. The town is filled with historical buildings designated as cultural assets, such as the Otaru Canal, which has a retro feel with stone warehouses and gas lamps, and the old banking district, and its atmospheric streets are sure to captivate visitors.

Surrounded by the sea and mountains, Otaru boasts excellent access to both the sea and the mountains, both of which are within 30 minutes of the city center. Here we will introduce ways to enjoy the summer and the sea in Otaru, a city blessed with nature.

1. Click here for onboard cruises
2. Click here for scenic spots
3. Coastal drive here
4. Summer events are here

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 Sea Cruise

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Tourism ①

Otaru Maritime Sightseeing Boat "Aobato"

The Otaru Maritime Sightseeing Boat "Aobato" allows you to fully enjoy the dynamic seascape of Otaru. The Shukutsu route is a convenient means of transportation, offering views of the Otaru Aquarium and Otaru Herring Palace from the sea. The Otamoi route offers spectacular views of the dramatic cliffs. Enjoy a leisurely cruise while taking in the views of the Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Coast Quasi-National Park.

Shukutsu Route 　Travel time: Approximately 20 minutes (one way)
Admission fee: 700 yen for adults, 350 yen for children
Otamoi Route A Course　 (Departing from Otaru Port Pier No. 3 - Cruise around Otamoi - Arriving at Otaru Port Pier No. 3)
Tour duration: Approximately 90 minutes Price: 2,500 yen for adults, 1,250 yen for children

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Tourism ②

Otaru Sea Sightseeing Boat "Kaiyo"

Hokkaido's only pleasure boat operates only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and a guide will explain the history of Otaru as you cruise around the harbor for approximately 40 minutes. The view of Otaru from the sea allows you to enjoy the coexistence of nature and the city. The boat can also be rented exclusively for large groups, such as for a lunch party with friends, or a welcome/farewell party or reunion while enjoying the beautiful night view.

Tour time: Approximately 40 minutes Price: Adults 850 yen, Children 420 yen

Boarding location

Facility name : Otaru Sea Sightseeing Cruise
Address : 4-2 Minatomachi, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-29-4323
Opening hours : April to October: 9:00 to 17:00
Closed days : Open every day during operation
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Sightseeing ③

Otaru Canal Cruise

A small boat trip that can be called a new standard for Otaru tourism.

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, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-31-1733
Opening hours : 10:30-20:00
Closed days : Open everyday
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Sightseeing ④

Blue Cave

We boarded a small boat and headed into the Blue Cave.

The beautiful, sparkling blue cave was created by a combination of various coincidences, including the unique topography caused by seawater erosion, the direction and angle of the sunlight, and the transparency of the seawater.

Sunlight pours in through the entrance to the cave, and of the seven colors of light in the ocean, six colors other than blue are absorbed, leaving only the blue, causing the surface of the sea 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 047-0007
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 for the homepage

Facility name : The Original! Blue Cave Cruise / Tsuusen Co., Ltd.
Address : 3-1 Ironai, Otaru City, Hokkaido 047-0031
phone : 0134-23-8942
Opening hours : 9:00-19:00
Closed days : May change depending on weather conditions, etc. Please check the website for details.
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Facility name : Blue Cave Exciting Cruise Otaru
Address : 3-6-17 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido, 047-0031
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 for the homepage

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Sightseeing ⑤

Otaru Fishing Boats

Complete fishing equipment can be rented.

Why not try boat fishing, mainly in Otaru and Shakotan? Even if you're new to boat fishing or interested but don't have the equipment, they seem to offer rentals of a complete set of fishing gear, bait, and tackle. Why not make it a memorable memory of your trip to Otaru?

Boat fishing in Otaru focuses on flounder in the spring, then shifts to flounder, and then from summer to autumn and into winter, target fish include rockfish, black rockfish, rockfish, cod, and Atka mackerel. Yellowtail and trout can also be caught, but please note that depending on the natural conditions and the time of year, there may be days when you cannot catch anything at all.

Boarding location

Facility name : Otaru Fishing Boat Musashi
Address : Wakatakemonobu, Otaru City
phone : 090-8708-7652
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Facility name : Fishing Boat MARIO 
Address : 3-5-18 Ironai, Otaru City
phone : 080-9009-3600
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Facility name : Otaru Port Pleasure Boat LEXUS
Address : 3-5-18 Ironai, Otaru City
phone : 090-8272-8758
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Here's how to enjoy spring, summer, autumn and winter

Otaru's best spots for viewing the ocean

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Sightseeing ⑥

Shukutsu Panorama Observation Deck

Famous for its beautiful sunrises and sunsets, Shukutsu Panorama Observatory is located on a hill about 70 meters above sea level in the northeastern part of Otaru City. Looking east from the observatory, Takashima Cape in the foreground is the focal point, with a spectacular view of Ishikari Bay beyond. On a clear day, Mount Shokanbetsu and Mount Mashike can also be seen beyond Ishikari Bay. Hiyoriyama Lighthouse and Otaru City Herring Palace sit atop the cape, and in the foreground is the Marine Mammal Park, an outdoor facility of the Otaru Aquarium, which also contribute to creating the spectacular view from Shukutsu Panorama Observatory.

Meanwhile, in the west, you can see the breathtaking sunset over the Sea of Japan from late April to late August, and on clear days, families and couples gather with cameras in hand. You can spend a luxurious time gazing at the view and forgetting about time.

The observation deck has a free parking lot, so we recommend going there by private car or rental car. If you're coming by public transportation, take the Hokkaido Chuo Bus bound for Otaru Aquarium from JR Otaru Station, and the last stop, Otaru Aquarium, is at the foot of the Shukutsu Panorama Observatory. The observation deck is about 70 meters above sea level, so it's fun to take your time walking up the hill while enjoying the scenery.

Facility name : Shukutsu Panorama Observatory
Address : 3 Shukutsu, Otaru City, Hokkaido, 047-0047
phone : 0134-32-4111
Opening hours : 24 hours
Closed days : Open everyday
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Sightseeing ⑦

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. It was built in 1936 (Showa 11) by a man named Kato Akitaro, who ran a Japanese restaurant in Otaru, as a new attraction for the city. At the time, it was visited by several thousand people a day, but was closed due to the war. They tried to reopen it after the war, but unfortunately Ryugukaku was completely destroyed in a fire, forcing them to close down.

The foundation stones of Ryugukaku and the promenade tunnel leading to the former amusement park remain, but the road from the land side has been closed due to the risk of landslides. Otamoi Coast, a spot with a mysterious charm as a mystical sea and a phantom amusement park, can now be viewed from the sea side by sea sightseeing boat.

Facility name : Otamoi Beach
Business hours : Please check the operation of sightseeing boats
Closed days : Please check if the sightseeing boat is operating
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Sightseeing ⑧

Hiyoriyama Lighthouse

Hiyoriyama Lighthouse, a popular scenic spot in Otaru, is a two-tone red and white lighthouse located at Takashima Cape in Shukutsu, Otaru City. Built in 1883, it was the second lighthouse in Hokkaido to be lit after Cape Nosappu Lighthouse, and was originally a white, hexagonal wooden lighthouse.

It was rebuilt in 1953 as a concrete structure, and repainted in the same two-tone red and white color scheme as it is today in 1968. The height from the ground to the top of the light is 10.2m, and the light is 49.8m from the sea surface. The light can reach a distance of 19.0 nautical miles (approximately 35.2km).

It was used as a location for the film "Joy and Sorrow: How Many Years of Joy and Sorrow" which was released in 1957. Currently, public access to the lighthouse is prohibited, but the view from the observation deck located a short distance away is spectacular, and it has been featured in tourist brochures and magazines.

Facility name : Hiyoriyama Lighthouse 
Address : 240 Shukutsu 3-chome, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0047
Telephone : Otaru City Tourism Promotion Office: 0134-32-4111

Summer in Otaru | How to Enjoy the Sea - Otaru Sightseeing ⑨

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.

Mt. Akaiwa consists of two peaks, Mt. Akaiwa (371.1 meters) and Mt. Shimoakaiwa (approximately 278 meters), with Mt. Akaiwa being commonly known as "West Akaiwa" and Mt. Shimoakaiwa being commonly known as "East Akaiwa." Along the ridge of Mt. Akaiwa, there is a hiking trail called the Otaru Coast Nature Trail. Most of the area on the ocean side beyond this ridge is a rocky ridge, which is the climbing area.

The Otaru Coast Nature Trail is a hiking trail that stretches for approximately 5.5 kilometers, passing near the summit of Mt. Akaiwa and the summit of Mt. Shimoakaiwa. This undulating trail is located within a quasi-national park, and offers beautiful views of the coastline below and seasonal flora.

Facility name : Akaiwa Mountain
Opening hours : 24 hours
Closed days : Open everyday
Home page : Click here for the homepage

Drive along Otaru's beautiful coastline

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Sightseeing ⑩

Ranshima Beach

Ranshima is located at the westernmost tip of Otaru city, bordering Yoichi town, and is said to be the birthplace of beaches in Hokkaido. Ranshima Coast is included in the "Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Coast National Park," so in a broad sense, this place could also be called the "Shakotan Blue Sea."

Ranshima Island has two beaches: Ranshima Beach and Sunriver Beach. Ranshima Beach is located on the national highway from the direction of Sapporo, where you turn right after you see Seico Mart. Sunriver Beach is located about 1 kilometer from there, just before the tunnel.

Ranshima Beach is known as Hokkaido's oldest swimming beach, with a history of over 100 years, and its coastline is approximately 800 meters long. The sea is beautiful and the sandy beach stretches out. It is a safe, shallow area, so it has long been a popular spot for families. Both ends of the beach can be used as campsites, allowing you to enjoy camping by the sea. The beach is also equipped with hot showers, flush toilets, a number of guesthouses and beach huts, and outdoor equipment can be rented.

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Tourism ⑪

Oshiro Peninsula

Oshoro is pronounced "Oshoro." Located in the western part of Otaru City, this area originated as the "Oshoro Place" of the Edo period and lies at the base of the Oshoro Peninsula, which juts out into the Sea of Japan. Even today, it retains the appearance of a peaceful fishing village, distinct from the residential areas of Otaru City and its eastern shores. Surrounded by a cape and surrounded by a beautiful ocean, it's dotted with villas and corporate resorts, giving it the feel of a "hidden gem of Otaru." It was incorporated into Otaru City in 1958. The name comes from the Ainu word "ushorro," meaning "bay, inlet." Oshoro's fishing port has prospered since the late Edo period through herring fishing, but today it primarily engages in offshore fishing for flounder, Atka mackerel, and cod.

The Oshoro Peninsula has a very complicated shape, and Oshoro Bay, surrounded by Cape Kabuto and Cape Poromai, has long been known as a refuge port. Before modern times, ships were very small, so it was important to have a port with little waves. Later, Otaru Port also came to be known as a "naturally good harbor" with little waves, but during the Edo period, smaller inlets were more convenient for fishing, so Oshoro Bay was an ideal location.

Currently, the coastline of Oshoro is designated as Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Coast National Park. Grapes and apples are cultivated along the mountainside Fruit Road, and together with Yoichi Town and Niki Town, it is one of Hokkaido's major producing areas.

Ranshima Beach is known as Hokkaido's oldest swimming beach, with a history of over 100 years, and its coastline is approximately 800 meters long. The sea is beautiful and the sandy beach stretches out. It is a safe, shallow area, so it has long been a popular spot for families. Both ends of the beach can be used as campsites, allowing you to enjoy camping by the sea. The beach is also equipped with hot showers, flush toilets, a number of guesthouses and beach huts, and outdoor equipment can be rented.

Summer in Otaru | How to enjoy the sea - Otaru Tourism ⑫

Shimamuki Coast

Located at the head of the Shakotan Peninsula, Shakotan Town has a beautiful coastline with crystal clear water. The best viewing point is Shimamu Beach, which can be reached by walking through the Shimamu Tunnel. Once you exit the tunnel, the vivid blue sea that suddenly appears below you is truly stunning.

It has been selected as one of the "100 Best Beaches in Japan," and is the only spot on the Shakotan Peninsula, with its sheer cliffs, where you can go down to the water's edge. It takes about five minutes to walk down the winding stairs from the observation deck to the coast.

The name Shimamui comes from the Ainu word "Shuma-Mui" (rocky cove). The coastline lined with steep cliffs and oddly shaped rocks, and the sparkling blue of the sea known as Shakotan Blue, are truly Hokkaido's most spectacular sights. From late June to mid-July, the cliffs are decorated with the flowers of the Ezo Daylily, the town flower of Shakotan Town, and their orange-yellow blossoms stand out against the sparkling blue of the sea.

Otaru's Summer Events

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.

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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