2023 Hokkaido Trip Day 08: Day Trip to Otaru

We started our day going to Otaru, we just tapped our Suica cards and board the first train we saw for Otaru. (You actually need not have a Hokkaido Rail pass at this stage anymore) 

Tips: 

• You just need to get your bearings via Transit Planner app (and google maps) and you are ready to explore Otaru.  First jump to the nearest Rapid Airport / Local Train that goes to Otaru. check out timings and check out the platform from where you will ride the train. Best to check with Navitime or Japan Transit Planner. Note for Rapid Airport there are train cabins that are reserved , so be sure to sit on the Non-Reserved cabin . 
• Go furthest up and then proceed to go down the opposite side (when going home) to maximize time and place while in Otaru (basically , it was all a walking trail)  

For a change, it was nice to not have the luggage once in a while. and 45 mins later, we reached the town of Otaru.

The first order of business is to go Sankaku Market (because we didn't really had breakfast). Google Maps helped but you can see some signages to go to the market (that or just go where the people are going, mostly, they are tourists going to the same places as you are) . This place was really near to the station. 

We just googled which restaurant has more stars and chose Takanami Shokudo. 

We ordered

3 kinds: salmon roe, tuna, amaebi

wagamama don 3 kinds: salmon,crab, salmon roe

And the boiled scallop 

This was the free side dish (dried squid) which you can buy from the market (they were also selling them too. But it was tad dry for me). They served free refillable water too. 

After brunch, it was time to explore what Otaru has to offer. To escape the heat, we set our sights to some souvenir shop right by the canal. 

Try to go inside OTaru Denuki-koji for some museums & restaurants.

Drank some lamune ( messy thing to drink) near the tourist information center right by the otaru Canal, and buy some souvenirs too like Hogaja scallop. 

Just right next to the Otaru City Museum  (which also serves as the city's tourist information center) you can take a picturesque view of the canal. 

The glass museum (one of the many across the neighborhood) 

Kitaichi Venezia Museum (you can see a small Venice canal like with a gondola) 

Another shop (was once a train station of sort , part of the Temiya Line ) somewhere in Otaru . 

The music box museum 

and another building ... I just went from one end of the shop to another, and snap whenever I find an interesting building. (I also probably lost track of where I was )  

It was time to rest our weary feet and the perfect place for that will be by Sakaimachi, which are littered with souvenir shops, cafe, boutiques. This would also be around Le Tao / Glass museum/ orgel shop area. 

Some of the shops are :  

• Kitakaro - to buy kaitaku okaki ( hotate is my go to flavour) 
• Rokkatei - to get Marseille (Marusei) Butter Cake walnut  (get the walnut if they have it) 
• Le Tao - just for the cheesecake and coffee (plus don't forget the souvenir section) 

Since Le Tao is famous in Hokkaido, we decided to drop by to buy souvenirs back and of course try their cheesecake and coffee.  We ordered: 

Double fromage cheesecake & Iced coffee

Strawberry parfait

We also ended up going to Suitengu Temple to watch sunset (was accidently there during that time) before we head out to get our dinner. 

Do note that going to this temple will require you to climb some uphill slopes and stairs before reaching it (Do not believe when Google maps is saying it's only 3KM.It's 3KM with a slope). When we reached the place, it was only us and a couple (seems like this likely a date spot. Also that this temple is unmanned and not a lot of tourists go to this place), so we have this place almost all to ourselves.  

The guardian dogs guarding the temple (like in any shrine). They do come in pairs. 

The temple 

and you can see a bird's eye view of Otaru from this temple (or some port) ...

Then it was off to dinner at  Naruto Honten , a very traditional restaurant where you are seated at tatami. You need to take a number first before they let you in. 

After that they bring you to your table and require to order & pay first at the counter. The menu are placed on the table. When you want to pay, you need to bring the card with the table number to the counter. 

We ordered:  

Boneless chicken set 

Half fried chicken set meal (with some sushi on the side). The chicken tastes like Max's. 

As with any Japanese restaurant, they offer free service water (which you need to refill on your own). 

After dinner, we decided to walk off the calories and went to see if there are any night illumination by the canal. The festivities haven't started and was still in the midst of preparing so the nights looked lacklustre. 

Old building with stained glass windows (somewhere along the main road) 

The canal at night 

They were having a natsumatsuri that weekend, but we had to fly back on that day .. Maybe next time. 

The old tamiya line 

In front of Otaru Station 

After that it was back to Sapporo. We officially checked in at the final hotel (Note: We left with them our luggages in the morning before we left for Otaru.) 

How the rooms looked like : 

The bathroom 

The vanity table 

THe twin size beds 

The "walk-in" wardrobe (similar to any hotels across Japan) 

Pro 

• DIY brewed coffee at the concierge 
• near airport bus terminal stop 
• can leave luggage before check in time at the concierge (and days before that) 

We get some much needed rest and call it a day.