Otaru Canal

We didn't have much time, so we just walked along the canal. But it was a beautiful sunny day and because we went early, it was almost empty. There was a crowd for the boat tour, but we didn't go there. I'm sure exploring the warehouses would have been fascinating, but just to see all the Meiji era western-style buildings was a piece of history I wasn't expecting. Well worth even a short visit, and from here, it's just a minute's walk to the glass-ware shops.

One of the most iconic landmarks in Otaru and even in Hokkaido. The view is great no matter you are visiting this place in summer or winter. The only downside is there are too many people and it is difficult to take a good photo

Otaru is beautiful to visit all year round. You can easily take a train from Sapporo Central Station to Otaru in about 40 minutes. You can purchase round-trip train tickets at the train station. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the train station up to the canal.

Must visit. We went on a cloudy day, but it was still quite beautiful. The area was clean, but the public bathroom here in the canal area was really stinky. I’d love to see this place during the winter.

Beautiful well maintained historical district. Not a very long canal and there is a long lineup for the boat ride.