Otaru小樽
Otaru guide
A port town of canal-side stone warehouses, glass shops and music boxes. About 35 minutes by train from Sapporo, and the main sights are walkable from the station. Also known for sushi.
Things to see 10 classics
"Classics" and "Hidden gems" are this site's editorial picks, not a measured popularity ranking.
By interest
By how you get there
By distance
- 1
Otaru Canal
A canal lined with old stone warehouses. Gas lamps are lit from dusk, and small cruise boats run along it.
- History & buildings
- Views
- Night views
about 45 minFree
Walk · About 10 min from Otaru ・ 600m
- 2
Sakaimachi Street
A street of glass, music-box and sweet shops in old merchant houses and warehouses. Good for snacking as you walk.
- Shopping & strolling
- Food & markets
- History & buildings
about 1.5 hrFree
Walk · About 15 min from Otaru ・ 1.1km
- 3
Otaru Music Box Museum (Main Building)
A shop filled with music boxes in a brick building from 1912. The steam clock in front is the landmark.
- Shopping & strolling
- History & buildings
about 45 minFreeFine on a rainy day
Walk · About 25 min from Otaru ・ At the south end of Sakaimachi Street; about 7 minutes on foot from Minami-Otaru Station ・ 1.4km
- 4
Kitaichi Glass Sangokan
A glass shop in a stone warehouse from the 1890s, known for its cafe hall lit only by oil lamps.
- Shopping & strolling
- Museums
about 30 minFreeFine on a rainy day
Walk · About 20 min from Otaru ・ 1.2km
- 5
Sankaku Market
A small market right beside Otaru Station, with fish stalls and seafood rice-bowl diners. Busiest from morning until noon.
- Food & markets
- Shopping & strolling
about 45 minFreeFine on a rainy day
Walk · About 2 min from Otaru ・ 100m
- 6
Mt. Tengu (Tenguyama)
A hill overlooking the town and harbor, reached by ropeway. Good for the night view, and a ski area in winter.
- Views
- Night views
- Activities
about 60 minFreeWheelchair & stroller friendly
Ropeway · About 40 min from Otaru ・ Bus to Tenguyama Ropeway, then the ropeway ・ 3.4km
“Classics” and “Hidden gems” are our editors' picks, not a measured popularity ranking. Travel times are estimates. Please check prices, opening hours and operating days with the official sources before you go.
Photo and data credits
Otaru Canal at dusk with lit stone warehouses Tan Wei Liang Byorn (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Otaru Canal lined with old stone warehouses Suicasmo (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Old merchant buildings along Sakaimachi Street with leftover snow 663highland (CC BY 2.5) / The green-roofed main building of the Otaru Music Box Museum Wpcpey (CC BY 4.0) / The aisle of Sankaku Market lined with seafood stalls bryan... (CC BY-SA 2.0) / Otaru and the sea seen from Mt. Tengu Soica2001 (talk) (Public domain) / The stone building of the former Bank of Japan Otaru Branch 663highland (CC BY 2.5). Cropped and resized.
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Otaru
Area guide
Within walking distance
Facilities & features
- Coin lockers and baggage storage
- Easy step-free access
- Typical transfer time: about 4 min
Lines from here
Within walking distance of this station
See nearby on a mapPlaces you can drop by on foot after leaving the station. Times are estimates.
- Go hereSankaku MarketAbout 1 min on foot
A small market right beside Otaru Station, with fish stalls and seafood rice-bowl diners. Busiest from morning until noon.
- Go hereOld Temiya Line WalkwayAbout 5 min on foot
The track bed of Hokkaido's first railway, kept as a footpath with the rails still in place, between the station and the canal.
- Go hereBank of Japan Otaru MuseumAbout 9 min on foot
A bank building from 1912. Exhibits on money and Otaru's history fill the old banking hall with its high ceiling.
- Go hereOtaru CanalAbout 10 min on foot
A canal lined with old stone warehouses. Gas lamps are lit from dusk, and small cruise boats run along it.
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