Welcome to Otaru
Otaru (小樽) was the financial centre of Hokkaidō – a bustling center of trade with Russia and China – in the early 20th century. The city's elite invested some of those riches in the construction of grand, Western-style buildings of stone and brick – the style of the time – many of which line the town's central canal. This exotic (for Japan) atmosphere makes Otaru very popular with domestic visitors.
Top experiences in Otaru
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Food and drink
Travel guides
Starting at $38.99
Otaru activities
Otaru Rickshaw Tour
Take a ride back in time when Otaru was a thriving, flourishing business and trade center of Hokkaido. From the rickshaw, enjoying a constant sea breeze, you will be able to see and feel the sturdiness of the stone-built houses in the harbor. Start your ride by meeting your guide, at any time of the day between 9.30am and 5.30pm, either right in front of the train station or at one of the bridges over the canal. Then, let us take you on a relaxing tour of Otaru, a small town with many hidden charms, which our guide will gladly help you discover. Depending on the season you might find that in the winter, the snow covered town turns into a romantic winter wonderland while in the summer it serves as a refreshing getaway.The tours described below are model routes. They may be further customized based on your preferred starting and ending point, the length of your tour and points of interests.30 Minute OptionStarting at the Asakusa Bridge, you will have a view of the canal, hemmed with warehouses dating back to the Taisho era. Enjoy the view of the little, idyllic port, with mountains in the background. Admire historical buildings, dating back to the Meiji era. The final leg of the tour will take you through the northern part of town with its various restaurants and sushi shops.45 Minute OptionStarting at the train station, continuing to the Asakusa bridge, from which you will have a view of a canal, hemmed with iconic warehouses dating back to the Taisho era. Enjoy the view of the idyllic port, with mountains in the background. Admire historical buildings, dating back to the Meiji era. The final leg of the tour will take you through the northern part of town with its various restaurants and sushi shops.1 Hour OptionStarting at the train station, continuing to the port, you will have a view of the canal, hemmed with iconic warehouses dating back to the Taisho era. Enjoy the view of the idyllic port, with mountains in the background. Admire historic buildings, dating back to the Meiji era. Before the guide will take you through the northern part of town, you will get to see the remaining train tracks of the very first railway in Hokkaido.2 Hour OptionStarting at the train station, continuing to the Asakusa Bridge, you will have a view of the canal, hemmed with iconic warehouses dating back to the Taisho era. Enjoy the view of the idyllic port, with mountains in the background. Admire historic buildings, dating back to the Meiji era. From a park, enjoy the view of the harbor. Before the guide will take you through the northern part of town, you will get to see the remaining train tracks of the very first railway in Hokkaido. After passing by an old brick building, the Bank of Japan, the final leg of the tour will take you through the northern part of town with its various restaurants and sushi shops.
Private Otaru Sightseeing from Sapporo with Sake Tasting
[Itinerary: ]Meet your guide at the hotel you will be staying (Centrally located Sapporo hotels)Transfer to Otaru by train or private vehicleSankaku seafood market (30min)Otaru Canal (15min)Sushi Lunch at a Local Sushi Restaurant (1hr)Sakaimachi Street with Musical Box Shop, Kitaichi Glass Shop, LeTAO (1.5hrs)Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura (45min)Return to Sapporo by train or private vehicleTour ends at the meeting point**Tanaka Sake Brewery can be replaced with other destination if you do not drink sake.**The Old Aoyama Villa (Kihinkan) will be included if you use a private vehicle.[Destinations: ]Otaru CanalOtaru Canal was built in the 1920s as a channel connecting warehouses and the Port of Otaru, which thrived as the gateway to Hokkaido during the period of land reclamation. Stone-built warehouses and gas lamps stand along the 1140-meter-long canal, recalling the area’s heyday.Otaru Triangle (Sankaku) Market"Sankaku", it’s mean the triangle. The origin of the name is that the land and the roof is in the form of a triangle. Just 1 min from the JR Otaru station, then you can enjoy very fresh seafood like the salmon, salmon roe and sea urchin.Sakaimachi Street --- Musical Box Museum Shop, Kitaichi Glass Shop, LeTAOSakaimachi Street is for shopping! You can enjoy the biggest Musical box shop in Japan, Kitaichi glass shop where you can purchase variety of beautiful glass and even you can have a tea time with famous Otaru sweets like LeTAO, Rokkatei and Kitakarou! You might see the colorful ice cream which you never ever seen before!Tanaka Sake Brewery KikkoguraThe stone buildings that were built for the Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura in 1905 have been designated as historic buildings by the city of Otaru. Enjoy free samples of Shiboritate Nama Genshu (fresh Japanese Sake) and 10 other kinds of sake made right on the premises.**Option --- The Old Aoyama Villa (w/ Vehicle)The villa is a symbol of herring fishing history in Otaru which took 6 years to be completed. The traditional alcoves and the gorgeously sculptured fanlights are built in rosewood (shitan) or Japanese cedar and or so. The paintings and calligraphy on the sliding doors in various rooms are genuine treasures. They were created by Gyokudo Kawai, a great master of Japanese painting working with his disciples.
Otaru Snow Light Path & Dinner
Price Includes Tour GuideAll transportationDinnerPrice Excludes Any Private ExpensesWhat to Expect Otaru is a romantic city in Hokkaido, especially in winter. You can imagine yourselves to be the characters in a love story. Firstly, we can look around the nostalgic Sakaimachi Street and visit the music box museum or the glass shops. You can have a break and enjoy a dessert in the café there too.Before going outside in the evening snow, let’s feed ourselves first! We will enjoy a buffet dinner with seafood and different Japanese cuisine. This will make us powerful and warm enough to challenge the cold weather, but we promise it worth to be cold since the view is stunning!Then, prepare your camera! Are you ready to take hundreds of photos in the Snow Light Path? You will see floating candles in the canal and lights inside the snow tunnel in the former railway. It’s a magical winter experience!3:00pm Depart from Sapporo Station4:00pm Arrive at Otaru and have time to sightsee along Sakaimachi Street5:30pm Buffet Dinner6:30pm Go to the Snow Light Path of Otaru Canal7:30pm Go to the Snow Light Path of former Temiya Railway8:00pm Leave Otaru9:00pm Arrive at Sapporo Station
Sapporo to Otaru, Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery Private Tour
The driver will pick you at Sapporo between 8:00~10:00 (or 9:00 if you don't specify a time) and then takes you to Otaru, the first destination. It takes around 60 minutes to reach Otaru. Otaru is a harbor city located in the northwest of Sapporo. From the late 19th century until the first half of 20th century, it served as an important port in Hokkaido. Otaru canal is one part of the city that is preserved for the memory of the city in its glory days and transformed into a popular destination for tourists. Alongside the canal, there are some museums and restaurants housed in the old warehouses. The combination of beauty and history is definitely a big attraction to the town. After spending 2.0 hours at Otaru, you are taken to Yoichi to visit Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery, the main distillery of the top whisky maker in Japan. In this second destination, you have a chance to see the whisky making process and visit a museum to learn about the history of the company. You will spend around an hour here. At the end of the trip, you will be taken back to Sapporo (approx. 90 min journey.) The arrival time is between 14:00 and 16:00.
Shared Arrival Transfer : New Chitose Airport to Otaru City
Your driver will pick you up from the Shin Chitose Airport terminal to Otaru City dropping you right at the doorsteps of the address where you want to go.This is a door to door offer, cheaper than a taxi, more eco-friendly than your personal car and more comfortable than the public transport. When you book , you will need to advise your flight details and Otaru city hotels where you want to go.You need to go to the “Meeting Point” which is indicated in your reservation confirmation or service voucher. Your driver will hold a ‘Cherry Tomato’ Sign Board to meet and greet you.Will wait at meeting point 45 minutes after ETA until 80 minutes after ETA Will depart as soon as all passengers turn up.Baggage One Big Suite Case per Passengers, Tell us upon booking if you have many baggage. (Chargeable)Distinctive and dependable for on time pick – up and deliveries. Our gracious professional drivers will get you to your desired destination as quickly and safely as possible.But we cannot guarantee an English-speaking driver. Our Cherry Tomato customer support representative are always happy to assist you with all your questions or services concern about your trip in Japan.For emergency assistance during your Japan visit, you can contact our Emergency Assistance Team 24/7.Please booking now.Please note : Minimum of 4 Adult fares to activate the service. Baggage: One Big Suite Case per Passengers, Tell us upon booking if you have many baggage. (Chargeable) Additional baggage will be charged JPY1,000 per piece.Door-to-door service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekEarly morning / Late night : No surchargePlease provide :full name and age for all guestservice dateflight details i.e. flight number, airport code, ETA/ETDhotel details i.e. name, address, telephone and fax number;apartment details i.e. building name & addressapartment host name, phone number and email addressguest contact numberTotal Number of baggage
Shared Departure Transfer : Otaru City to Shin Chitose Airport
Enjoy a relaxing finish to your trip with a shared transfer to New Chitose Airport(CTS)from your hotel in Otaru.This is a door to door offer, cheaper than a taxi, more eco-friendly than your personal car and more comfortable than the public transport.Hotel pick-ups are scheduled to coincide with your flight departure time. Please provide your departing airline and hotel pick-up information at the time of booking.Will design to arrive airport 100 to 180 minutes before airplane take off for international flight (60 to 90 minutes for domestic flight)Distinctive and dependable for on time pick – up and deliveries. Our gracious professional drivers will get you to your desired airport as quickly and safely as possible. But we cannot guarantee an English-speaking driver.Our Cherry Tomato customer support representative are always happy to assist you with all your questions or services concern about your trip in Japan.For emergency assistance during your Japan visit, you can contact our Emergency Assistance Team 24/7.Please booking now.Please Note : Minimum of 4 Adult fares to activate the service. Baggage: One Big Suite Case per Passengers, Tell us upon booking if you have many baggage. (Chargeable)Additional baggage will be charged JPY1,000 per piece.Door-to-door service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekEarly morning / Late night : No surchargePlease provide : full name and age for all guestservice dateflight details i.e. flight number, airport code, ETA/ETDhotel details i.e. name, address, telephone and fax number;apartment details i.e. building name & addressapartment host name, phone number and email addressguest contact numberTotal Number of baggage