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Toya Kanko Hotel Review

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Toya Kanko Hotel is in Toyako Onsen in Hokkaido, Japan. At the foot of Mount Usu is where you will find most of the area’s hotels and shops, a visitor center, the sightseeing boat pier and the bus terminal.

Toya Kanko Hotel offers elegant rooms. The hotel comprises 131 rooms. WiFi throughout the accommodation is available. Some rooms offer a heating system, a safe box and a wardrobe with views of the mountain. A tub, a hairdryer and free toiletries are featured.

At レストラン「湖畔」 restaurant all guests are invited to enjoy Japanese cuisine. The outdoor bar is a nice spot for relaxation. Boyotei and Sobakura are situated about 200 meters from the venue. A private pool is featured onsite. Toya Kanko Hotel offers sport activities, such as tennis and table tennis.

You’re welcome to use the link below to search and book a room in Toya Kanko Hotel. Do note that I’ll earn a referral from any completed booking made.

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How to get to Toya Kanko Hotel

From Tokyo, you can reach Lake Toya by flying to Chitose City’s New Chitose Airport, and then jumping on a local train from there. You can also ride the shinkansen all the way from Tokyo, a journey completely covered by the JR Rail Pass.

If you’re coming by car, it is:

  • about 2 hours from Sapporo
  • about 1 hour and a half from New Chitose Airport
  • about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Hakodate

Coming from Sapporo, we took the train from JR Sapporo station down to Toya station. It was a 1 hour and 52 minutes, or 163km train ride.

Toya Station

From Toya station to Lake Toya, it was another 15 minutes bus ride. The bus stopped at Toyako Onsen bus terminal, where we continued on foot (4 minutes or 300 meters) to the hotel.

Japanese Style Room
Japanese Style Room
Yukata (Japanese Pajamas)
Direct view of Lake Toya from hotel room

To search for an available room in Toya Kanko Hotel, you can use the link below.

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Private Dinner at Toya Kanko Hotel

At our stay here, we had a private dinner of pork, cooked seafood, fresh raw seafood, desserts, and passion fruit at the hotel.

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Top 16 Attractions to Visit in Hokkaido, Japan

Planning a (solo) holiday trip in Hokkaido, Japan? Here are a list of 16 attractions from Lake Toya to Otaru to Sapporo to north of Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan.

To know more about each individual attraction, click the image or “Continue Reading” to go to the post.


1. Odori Park

Odori Park spans about 1.5 km and covers 78,901 square meters in the center of Sapporo. It stretches from east to west across 13 blocks of fountains, monuments, and gardens. (Continue Reading)

2. Sapporo TV Tower

Sapporo TV Tower stands exactly in the heart of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. The Sapporo TV Tower was built in 1957 and is a 147.2-metre-high (483 ft) TV tower with an observation deck at a height of 90.38 metres. (Continue Reading)

3. Sankaku Market

You can’t give Sankaku Market a miss when you visit Otaru in Hokkaido. It is a down-to-earth marketplace with vendors selling fruits, veggies, seafood, and prepared seafood dishes in this wet market. Where is Sankaku Market It is the closest tourist attraction (200 meters or about 2 minutes walk) to Otaru JR station. (Continue Reading)

4. Otaru Canal

Beautiful Canal Lined with Old Warehouses ‘Otaru’ is one of the leading tourist spots in Hokkaido with high popularity, and its symbol is the Otaru Canal. But what’s so special about the Otaru Canal? And how much tourism time should you set aside for it? (Continue Reading)

5. Sakaimachi Street

Sakaimachi Street is an attractive, preserved merchant street in central Otaru, a short walk from Otaru Canal. Sakaimachi Street is about 900 meters in length. It is here you can find souvenir shops, museums, restaurants, historical buildings, and landmarks. (Continue Reading)

6. Lake Toya

Lake Toya is located southwest of Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, between Niseko (one of Hokkaido’s finest powder snow ski resort areas) and the Pacific Ocean. Lake Tōya is a volcanic caldera lake in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Abuta District, Hokkaidō, Japan. (Continue Reading)

7. Showa Shinzan Volcano

Shōwa-shinzan is one of Japan’s youngest mountains and is also a volcanic lava dome in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaido, Japan, next to Mount Usu. The peak is 398 m (1,306 ft) tall, and still actively smoking. (Continue Reading)

8. Silo Observatory

It is a great place to have a superb, large panoramic view of Lake Toya as well as Nakajima Island, Mt. Usu, Mt. Showa Shinzan, Toyako town, and Nishiyama Crater. (Continue Reading)

9. Fukidashi Park

Perfect for a relaxing stroll in the early morning, visit Fukidashi Park and listen to the water gushing from the grounds. (Continue Reading)

10. Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery

In Yoichi, a town in the Yoichi District, Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan is one of Japan’s top whisky maker and main distillery. (Continue Reading)

11. Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway @ Mount Tengu

On a clear day you can see as far as Mt. Shokanbetsu and the Shakotan Peninsula. The views offered of downtown Otaru and the Sea of Japan are said to be one of the three best night views in Hokkaido. (Continue Reading)

12. Campana Rokkatei

It boasts a view of grapevines sprawling across almost 80,000 square meters of rolling hillsides, as well as Mt. Tokachi from the glass-fronted shop right in front of you. It’s the ideal place for viewing the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group while savoring sweets available exclusively in Furano. (Continue Reading)

13. Furano Winehouse

Located on a hill overlooking the Furano City in Hokkaido is the Furano Winehouse. You can enjoy splendid views of the city, lavender fields, and mountains of Tokachi. (Continue Reading)

14. Farm Tomita

Farm Tomita, located in the heart of Hokkaido in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, Japan, is home to Hokkaido’s lavender fields. Farm Tomita is one of Hokkaido’s largest tourist attraction site that brings in over 1 million people annually from all over Japan and the world. (Continue Reading)

15. Shikisai-no-Oka

Located in the rural town of Biei in Hokkaido, Shikisai-no-Oka attracts many people with its beautiful scenery of panoramic flower gardens. It is a paradise of seasonal blossoms from spring through to fall, in which several dozen different species of flowers and grasses flourish. (Continue Reading)

16. Shirogane Blue Pond

The Blue Pond outside the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen is named after its deep blue colour which it owes to natural minerals dissolved in the water. It is one of Hokkaido’s most popular sightseeing destinations! (Continue Reading)


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1 Day Trip North of Sapporo

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It’s time to leave Sapporo city for a bit and explore the countryside. We explored much in the city itself and south of Sapporo – Otaru. Now, it was time to explore north of Sapporo. That’s what we did as we went on a one day tour.

It was a bus tour which stopped at each location for about 15 to 20 minutes. You can links at the end for guides to help you plan your holiday and trips outside of Hokkaido.


1. Campana Rokkatei

It boasts a view of grapevines sprawling across almost 80,000 square meters of rolling hillsides, as well as Mt. Tokachi from the glass-fronted shop right in front of you. It’s the ideal place for viewing the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group while savoring sweets available exclusively in Furano. (Continue Reading)

2. Furano Winehouse

Located on a hill overlooking the Furano City in Hokkaido is the Furano Winehouse. You can enjoy splendid views of the city, lavender fields, and mountains of Tokachi. (Continue Reading)

3. Farm Tomita

Farm Tomita, located in the heart of Hokkaido in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, Japan, is home to Hokkaido’s lavender fields. Farm Tomita is one of Hokkaido’s largest tourist attraction site that brings in over 1 million people annually from all over Japan and the world. (Continue Reading)

4. Shikisai-no-Oka

Located in the rural town of Biei in Hokkaido, Shikisai-no-Oka attracts many people with its beautiful scenery of panoramic flower gardens. It is a paradise of seasonal blossoms from spring through to fall, in which several dozen different species of flowers and grasses flourish. (Continue Reading)

5. Shirogane Blue Pond

The Blue Pond outside the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen is named after its deep blue colour which it owes to natural minerals dissolved in the water. It is one of Hokkaido’s most popular sightseeing destinations! (Continue Reading)

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We booked a one day tour through Klook, which you can check them out here.

However, if you would like to self-plan your own tour with a guide; below is a downloadable guide.



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1 Day Trip from Lake Toya to Sapporo

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After a night of fireworks at Lake Toya, it was time to continue our holiday in Sapporo city and northwards. To make the most of our trip, we booked a one day bus tour from Lake Toya to Sapporo through JAPANiCAN.com.

Below is a guide of our bus tour trip and the places we stopped. Each stop was about 20 minutes.


1. Showa Shinzan Volcano

Shōwa-shinzan is one of Japan’s youngest mountains and is also a volcanic lava dome in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaido, Japan, next to Mount Usu. The peak is 398 m (1,306 ft) tall, and still actively smoking. (Continue Reading)

2. Silo Observatory

It is a great place to have a superb, large panoramic view of Lake Toya as well as Nakajima Island, Mt. Usu, Mt. Showa Shinzan, Toyako town, and Nishiyama Crater. (Continue Reading)

3. Fukidashi Park

Perfect for a relaxing stroll in the early morning, visit Fukidashi Park and listen to the water gushing from the grounds. (Continue Reading)

4. Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery

In Yoichi, a town in the Yoichi District, Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan is one of Japan’s top whisky maker and main distillery. (Continue Reading)

5. Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway

On a clear day you can see as far as Mt. Shokanbetsu and the Shakotan Peninsula. The views offered of downtown Otaru and the Sea of Japan are said to be one of the three best night views in Hokkaido. (Continue Reading)


Trip Summary

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Shirogane Blue Pond: Can a Pond be This Blue in Hokkaido Japan?

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A blue pond in Biei, Hokkaido, Japan. The Blue Pond outside the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen is named after its deep blue colour which it owes to natural minerals dissolved in the water. It is one of Hokkaido’s most popular sightseeing destinations!

Blue Pond (青い池, Aoi-ike)

How to Get to the Blue Pond

If you’re driving from Sapporo to the Blue Pond:

  • Get on the Hokkaido Expressway at the Sapporo interchange (IC) and get off at Mikasa IC, then go pass Katsurazawa Dam and through Furano (about 150km).
  • From Sapporo IC, get off at Asahikawa Takasu IC, and drive south towards Biei (about 180km).

If you’re driving from New Chitose Airport, use the Dōtō Expressway and get off at Shimukappu, then head north through Furano. The journey is roughly 160km or about 3 hours drive.

There is a parking lot next to the road, and the pond is about a 5 to 10 minutes walk away.

Buses between Biei Station and Shirogane Onsen stop at Shirogane Aoiike Iriguchi bus stop along the way. The one way ride from Biei Station to the pond takes about 20 minutes. 

There are bus tours from Sapporo Station and can be easily arranged through tour companies.

Blue Pond

The Shirogane Blue Pond is an artificially created pond, and it is rather new. It is one of the ponds that were a by-product of creating a dam at the Biei River. This was to stop the volcanic mud of the erupting Mount Tokachi from reaching the town of Biei in 1988. However, it is the only one of these ponds that displays the beautiful blue colour.

The amazing blue colour of the pond comes from minerals in the water, colloidal aluminium hydroxide.

Shirogane Blue Pond in October Autumn 2019
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Credits to:

https://matcha-jp.com/en/7983
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6832.html
https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-furano_biei_sounkyo/article-a1000326/
https://hokkaido-labo.com/en/biei-blue-pond-4197
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1889/
https://hokkaidoguide.com/blue-pond/

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Shikisai-no-Oka: Hokkaido Panoramic Flower Garden

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Roll-chan, a figure made of hay bales, Welcomes us into Shikisai-no-Oka

Located in the rural town of Biei in Hokkaido, Shikisai-no-Oka attracts many people with its beautiful scenery of panoramic flower gardens. It is a paradise of seasonal blossoms from spring through to fall, in which several dozen different species of flowers and grasses flourish.

Why not enjoy the beautiful fragrance of the blossoms amid spectacular panoramic scenery?

How to Get to Shikisai-no-Oka

If you’re coming from Sapporo and using public transportation, take the JR Hakodate Main Line Limited Express to Asahikawa Station which is about one and a half hours ride. Then transfer onto the JR Furano Line which is about 45 minutes ride to Mibaushi Station. From Mibaushi Station, it is about a 25 minutes walk to Shikisai-no-Oka. If you want to take a taxi, it is recommended to get off at Biei Station and take a taxi (around 12 minutes ride).

If you’re driving by car from Sapporo, take the Doo Expressway (toll) and get off at Takigawa IC. It takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes to reach Shikisai-no-Oka.

The entrance fee is ¥500 for visitors over 15 and ¥300 for those under 15.

Shikisai-no-Oka

Shikisai no Oka simply means the Hills of Seasonal Colors

Kyuhoshi

Shikisai-no-Oka is a big flower garden or park in the Furano area with about 15 hectares of a wide range of seasonal flowers. The Green Season (from late April to late October or from spring to autumn), you can enjoy colourful stripes of flowers that are drawn over the hills.

Be sure to walk in the flower-filled fields. Given that the field is 15 hectares large, expect to do a fair amount of walking.

The Shikisai-no-oka Norokko (tractor bus) is a very popular ride that takes a slow run every 15 minutes or so through the most impressive course in the vast Shikisai-no-Oka Park, which is filled with the rich fragrance of flowers and offers spectacular views of the hills, Mt. Daisetsu, and the flower garden. It stops once during the ride for taking photographs against a background of breathtaking flowers.

  • It costs 500 yen for high school students and older,
  • it costs 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and
  • it is free for elementary school students and younger.
Shikisai-no-Oka in 2019

If you want to get around at your own pace on your own or in a small group; you can rent a buggy or a cart. The buggy costs ¥500 for a single-seater on 1km circuit of the Shirakaba-batake (white birch garden). The 4-seater cart costs ¥2000 for a 15 minutes session to reach some of the best photo spots and explore around the park.

Shikisai-no-Oka in October

In the Winter Season (from early December to early April the following year), the flower garden turns to a world of silvery snow and there are many activities to be enjoyed. That’s the time when many winter sports enthusiasts enjoy their time doing various winter activities especially riding on the snowmobile and snow rafting.


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Credits to:

https://www.shikisainooka.jp/en/
https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-furano_biei_sounkyo/article-a1000325/
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1876/
https://www.kyuhoshi.com/shikisai-no-oka-in-biei/

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Farm Tomita: Vast Lavender Flower Fields in Hokkaido

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Farm Tomita, located in the heart of Hokkaido in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, Japan, is home to Hokkaido’s lavender fields. Farm Tomita is one of Hokkaido’s largest tourist attraction site that brings in over 1 million people annually from all over Japan and the world.

How to Get to Farm Tomita

If you’re flying in to Hokkaido and driving to Farm Tomita; it is about 45 minutes drive from Asahikawa Airport on the National Highway and 2.5 hours from the New Chitose Airport on the Doto Expressway (exit at the Shimkappu IC). Then, if you’re driving from Sapporo city, it is about 2.5 hours drive on the Doo Expressway (exit at the Mikasa IC).

By train, the nearest stations are the Lavender Farm Station and Nakafurano Station. Lavender Farm Station on the JR Furano Line is a 7 minutes walk to Farm Tomita. Nakafurano Station on the JR Furano Line is about a 25 minutes walk or 5 minutes by taxi to Farm Tomita.

“Nakafurano” is the closest bus stop; it is served by Furano Bus.

Visit the Farm Tomita website for detailed access guide.

Farm Tomita

Lavender blooms from late June to early August. During this time the flowers in the garden will be in bloom and a colorful sight can be experienced.

The peak period for lavender fields in Hokkaido is mid to late July. Don’t miss this period if you plan to view the sight of a hill covered in a purple carpet.

Here’s a throwback to Farm Tomita in the autumn in October 2019.

Farm Tomita is about 20 hectares with 12 flower fields.

There is the “traditional lavender field”, which is a slope completely covered in lavender. Besides lavender, there is a field with multicoloured flowers and the flowers grow in a slight curve.

At the entrance of the farm is the Hanabito Field. From early summer to autumn, red and yellow flowers such as marigold and silver cock’s comb start to fill the fields.

Hanabito Field
Hanabito Field

The different fields are: Hanabito Field, Sakiwai Field, Autumn Field, Spring Field, Traditional Lavender Field, Lavandin Field, Lavender Forest Field, White Birch Forest, Hilltop Field, Forest Field, Irodori Field, and Mother’s Garden.

There are also different houses near and around the various fields: Hanabito House, Dried Flower House, Sakiwai House, Sakiwai Trail Petit Shop, Distillery Workshop, Perfume Workshop, Proche House, Potpourri House, Arbre House, Gallery Fleur, Poppy House, Forest House, Flower House, and Rapport House.

Visit the Farm Tomita website for a farm guide and introduction to the flower fields.

Autumn Field

Hanabito House

Hanabito House welcomes you to Farm Tomita. Out front is Hanabito Garden. Out back is Hanabito Field.

Marie, the gift shop on the ground floor, offers gifts produced by Farm Tomita. Café René, next to Hanabito House, is open in summer. René, on the ground floor of the house, operates in autumn. Petit René, attached to Café René, operates between the Golden Week holidays and autumn, offering soft-serve ice cream and drinks. 

Tadao Tomita Museum, on the upper floor, introduces the history of Farm Tomita’s founder. On the same floor are the scent testing room where you can compare the fragrances of different types of lavenders, and displays of distillation apparatuses.

Hanabito House – Scent Experience Room
Hanabito House – Tadao Tomita Museum

Dried Flower House

The house boasts one of the largest display areas of dried flower arrangements in Japan. 

Dried Flower House

Lavender Ice Cream

At Farm Tomita, try the lavender ice cream, made out of Furano’s local vegetables. The sweets, made of natural lavender extract have a wonderful fresh scent.  Have a taste of it while exploring.



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Credits to:

https://www.farm-tomita.co.jp/en/farm/
https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-furano_biei_sounkyo/article-a1000089/
https://matcha-jp.com/en/10641
https://www.mystays.com/en-us/attractions-farm-tomita-hokkaido-japan/
https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=11636

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Furano Winehouse in Hokkaido

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Located on a hill overlooking the Furano City in Hokkaido is the Furano Winehouse. You can enjoy splendid views of the city, lavender fields, and mountains of Tokachi.

How to Get to Furano Winehouse

Furano Winehouse is about 3km by car from the Furano JR Station, or 2.6km by car from the Gakuden JR Station.

Furano Winehouse

Here, at Furano Wine House, you can enjoy food made with local Furano produce such as milk, cheese and vegetables, while enjoying a bottle of wine straight from the source. There’s a wide ranging menu to enjoy for both couples and families, such as Furano Wagyu cooked slowly in red wine, Tokachi beef steak, and cheese fondue, etc. The restaurant has a private room which can be used for dinner functions and seminars.

Furano in October 2019
Lunch at Furano
Furano in Autumn
Furano in Autumn

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Credits to:

https://www.furanotourism.com/en/spot/spot_D.php?id=399
https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/area/jp/spot/02301-1500195/
https://en.japantravel.com/hokkaido/wine-house/5785

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Campana Rokkatei, Hokkaido

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Campana Rokkatei is located in the vast vineyard of Shimizuyama in Furano City, Hokkaido. It boasts a view of grapevines sprawling across almost 80,000 square meters of rolling hillsides, as well as Mt. Tokachi from the glass-fronted shop right in front of you. It’s the ideal place for viewing the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group while savoring sweets available exclusively in Furano. Also eat the grape-flavoured soft-ice-cream and Furano mochi (rice cake), which are popular there.

Don’t miss the iconic bell tower – the symbol of Rokkatei – beside the shop, with its dazzling silver bell.

How to Get to Campana Rokkatei

Campana Rokkatei is about a 10 min taxi ride from Furano Station on the JR Nemuro Main Line, or 4 minutes by car from the Gakuden Station on the Furano Line.

Campana Rokkatei

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Credits to:

https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-furano_biei_sounkyo/spot-lj0007859/
https://digjapan.travel/en/spot/id=6904
https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/area/jp/spot/02301-1500228/

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1 Day Trip in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

‘Otaru’ is one of the leading tourist spots in Hokkaido with high popularity. It is a port city northwest of Sapporo city.

It is a perfect gateway to the seaside from the hustle and bustle of the city. For holiday-goers, the charming Hokkaido port city is renowned for it’s redbrick warehouses, sake distilleries, glassworks, and music boxes.

In summer, green ivy covers the warehouses—a stark contrast to the icicles that adorn the eaves in winter. Autumn paints the distant hillsides in a flurry of colors and spring brings delicate pink cherry blossoms.

JapanTravel

If you’re wondering how to make the most in one day in Otaru, look no further than this perfect one day trip guide in Otaru.


Sankaku Market

You can’t give Sankaku Market a miss when you visit Otaru in Hokkaido. It is a down-to-earth marketplace with vendors selling fruits, veggies, seafood, and prepared seafood dishes in this wet market. Where is Sankaku Market It is the closest tourist attraction (200 meters or about 2 minutes walk) to Otaru JR station. (Continue Reading)

Otaru Canal

Beautiful Canal Lined with Old Warehouses ‘Otaru’ is one of the leading tourist spots in Hokkaido with high popularity, and its symbol is the Otaru Canal. But what’s so special about the Otaru Canal? And how much tourism time should you set aside for it? (Continue Reading)

Sakaimachi Street

Sakaimachi Street is an attractive, preserved merchant street in central Otaru, a short walk from Otaru Canal. Sakaimachi Street is about 900 meters in length. It is here you can find souvenir shops, museums, restaurants, historical buildings, and landmarks. (Continue Reading)

Otaru Tenguyama

From Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway, you can reach the peak of Mount Tengu (Otaru Tenguzan) to enjoy the panoramic view of Otaru Port and Ishikari Bay. On a clear day you can see as far as Mt. Shokanbetsu and the Shakotan Peninsula. The views offered of downtown Otaru and the Sea of Japan are said to be one of the three best night views in Hokkaido. (Continue Reading)

Otaru Walking Tour Map


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