Local Recommendations: Top 10 Things to do in Otaru!
Otaru is one of Hokkaido’s leading tourist destinations. Once a prosperous economic center, the city retains the character of those days in its large buildings, warehouses and canals. As a developed port city and an excellent fishing ground, there are also numerous markets selling fresh seafood throughout the city. Here are one local writer’s top ten recommendations for enjoying Otaru.
1. Otaru Canal's “secret” North Canal
Otaru Canal, symbolic of Otaru tourism
Otaru Canal is a highly popular spot for tourists. When it “finished its role as a canal,” plans were made to fill the waterway. However, in the 1980s, after a long controversy, some of the land was reclaimed and roads, walking paths, and townscapes were constructed, creating the canal’s well-known present-day appearance.
Night view of the North Canal and the illuminated ski slopes
At Asakusabashi Gaien, the park that’s one of Otaru’s main tourist sites, many people stop to take souvenir photos or ride rickshaws. If you wan..