Otaru’s exotic townscape is popular with tourists. There are many fancy and delicious Otaru cafes in this romantic city. For instance, there’s the magical café directly operated by a glass craft store, the famous western sweets café, and stores where you can enjoy a bite while viewing the Otaru Canal.
We have selected five elegant popular Otaru cafes with a comfortable atmosphere and a perfect place to stop by and take a break.
1. Kitaichi Hall: Enjoy sipping tea in a majestic space
In Otaru, many shops sell handmade glass craftworks; the most famous is Kitaichi Glass. They have multiple shops in Sakai Town, but Kitaichi Hall is a popular shop that the locals and tourists alike love. The stone warehouses along Sakai Street give off a definite historical vibe.
The dim store with the high ceiling is filled with oil lamps giving off a warm glow. There are a total of 167 lamps in the store and the only light source. The lamps give a majestic feeling to the store.
These romantic lamps are all lit by hand; if you stop by the store at 8:45 AM, you can see the staff lighting the lamps. After about 30 minutes, the overhead lights are turned off, and the lamps emit a distinct magical feeling. Many visitors come to the store early to witness this moment.
Some might wonder why the café has the word “Hall” in its name, but when you enter the shop, the amazing open feeling should be convincing enough. The café used the warehouse’s original structure and kept the high ceiling, which resembles a music hall. The café has live piano performances every week from Monday to Friday. The times are 2 PM ~ 2:30 PM, 3 PM ~ 3:30 PM, and 4 PM ~ 4:30 PM. The café becomes a music hall and offers a fantastic tea time.
Left: Kitaichi Special Milk Tea Soft-Serve Ice Cream, Right Top: Tea flavored chiffon cake part of the tea set (720 yen) served with the Kitaichi Milk Tea, Bottom Right: wine from Otaru such as the Zweigeltrebe (red – 600 yen) and Niagara (white – 500 yen)
The famous Kitaichi Special Milk Tea Soft-Serve Ice Cream (450 yen) has the fresh sweetness of a milk tea made from Hokkaido milk. They also have a complete meal menu, including items like Kaisendon (seafood rice bowl). Enjoy your time eating sweets and listening to a live piano performance in a magical lamp-filled atmosphere.
〒047-0027 北海道小樽市堺町7-26 北一硝子三号館／Kitaichigarasu3kan, 7-26, Sakaimachi, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido, 047-0027, Japan
10 minutes on foot from JR Minami-Otaru Station
0134-33-1993
Hours: 8:45 AM ~ 6 PM (last order 5:30 PM, last order for meals 3 PM)
Closed: Open daily
2. GOLDSTONE CAFÉ: Wrap yourself in the music of Otaru
As Otaru’s largest live theater, this venue holds events such as concerts for famous musicians, bridal parties, and private presentations and shows. During the day, GOLDSTONE CAFÉ serves lunch and sweets.
The first thing that grabs your attention entering the facility is the 7.5-meter Makore African Cherry counter. The stylish coloring gives a very mature feeling. Since the café is built in a renovated warehouse, the high ceiling gives an open feel and adds to the uniqueness.
The menu includes …
