Otaru, a popular tourist destination, is easily accessible from Sapporo by train or bus, and has many spots you can enjoy while walking, such as nostalgic streets and romantic canals. We will introduce 10 walking spots in Otaru that are recommended for those who are visiting Otaru for the first time and those who have visited many times.

As its name suggests, Otaru Triangle Market was named after the triangular shape of the land and roof. Sixteen stores are lined up on either side of an aisle on a narrow, sloping road that is 200 meters long and just 2 meters wide. The market is always bustling with activity, with lively calls from the stores selling fresh seafood. There are also plenty of restaurants, where you can enjoy original rice bowls cooked on the spot using ingredients purchased at the market. It's a convenient market where you can easily enjoy both shopping and eating.

Otaru Sankaku Market

■Opening hours: Market 6:00-17:00 / Restaurant 7:00-17:00 *Varies by store ■Address: 3-10-16 Inaho, Otaru City ■ 2 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station Click here for details and maps of "Otaru Triangle Market"

Otaru has long flourished as a port town, and the area lined with sushi restaurants is known as "Otaru Sushi Street" because of the fresh seafood it can procure at low prices. There are many long-established restaurants that impress sushi connoisseurs from all over the country, so please come and try their proud sushi, which combines fresh ingredients with the skill of a craftsman.

Otaru Sushi Street

■ Business hours: Varies by store ■Address: Hanazono 1-chome, Otaru City ■ 10 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station Click here for details and map information on "Otaru Sushi Street"

Kitaichi Glass Building No. 3 was originally built in 1891 as a fishing warehouse, and has a history of over 100 years. The business grew through the manufacture of glass products such as oil lamps and herring fishing buoys, and is now used as a gallery and to sell a variety of glass products. Unlike today, when plastic is the mainstream, the beauty of glass crafts combined with the building will captivate you with its retro, nostalgic space.

Kitaichi Glass Building 3

■ Business hours: 9:00-18:00 (excluding some stores) ■Address: 7-26 Sakaimachi, Otaru City ■ 20 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station, 10 minutes walk from JR Minami-Otaru Station For details and maps of "Kitaichi Glass Building No. 3", please click here.

The area around the Otaru Music Box Museum's main building is full of historical buildings and is also known as the "Fairy Tale Crossing," where you can enjoy an exotic landscape. The main building of the Otaru Music Box Museum stands out among them, utilizing a brick warehouse built in 1912 and designated as a historic building by the city of Otaru. There is a steam clock in front of the museum that plays a beautiful tune every hour. There are a variety of music boxes on display inside the store, and you're sure to find yourself soothed by the gentle sounds that fill the space.

Otaru Music Box Museum Main Building

■ Business hours: 9:00-18:00 ■Address: 4-1 Sumiyoshicho, Otaru City ■ 20 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station / 5 minutes walk from JR Minami-Otaru Station Click here for details and maps of "Otaru Music Box Museum Main Building"

This spot, which combines a brewery and a beer pub in a stone warehouse along the Otaru Canal, allows you to enjoy freshly brewed local Otaru beer. In addition to the regular beers (Pilsner, Dunkel, Weiss), there are seasonal beers and a food menu using local ingredients, and you can also tour the attached brewery. Drinking local beer while looking out at the tourist spot, the Otaru Canal, is sure to be a special experience that can only be found in Otaru.

Otaru Beer (Otaru Warehouse No.1)

■Business hours: 11:00-22:00 (Last orders 21:00) ■Address: 5-4 Minatomachi, Otaru City ■ 10 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station Click here for details and map information for "Otaru Beer (Otaru Warehouse No.1)"

Bustling with many people, from locals to tourists, the alley is lined with a variety of food stalls. Of course there's sushi, but there's also Genghis Khan, ramen, Italian food, izakayas and more - all the delicious things you'll find in Otaru. Opposite is Otaru Yatai Mura Roman Yokocho, so if you can't decide what to eat, we recommend stepping into this lively alley.

Otaru Food Stall Village Brick Alley

■ Business hours: Varies by store ■Address: 1-4-15 Inaho, Otaru City ■ 5 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station Click here for details and maps of "Otaru Yatai Village Brick Alley"

Famous for its cheesecake "Double Fromage," a popular Hokkaido souvenir, LeTAO's main store faces the tourist-filled Marchen intersection and is an impressive tower-like building. A variety of Western-style sweets are sold on the first floor, and there is a cafe corner on the second floor. In the cafe corner, you can enjoy freshly made Double Fromage, which is only available at the main store, as well as dessert plates and specially selected teas.

Otaru Pastry Shop LeTAO Main Store

■Business hours: Shop: 9:00-18:00 Cafe: 9:00-18:00 (L.O.17:30) * May change depending on the season ■Address: 7-16 Sakaimachi, Otaru, Hokkaido ■ 20 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station / 5 minutes walk from JR Minami-Otaru Station Click here for details and map information for "Otaru Western Confectionery Shop LeTAO Main Store"

This kamaboko shop was founded in 1905 and is popular for its freshly fried kamaboko. In addition to the ever-popular "Hiraten," we especially recommend the "Bread Roll." This innovative idea of wrapping minced fish in bread has been on the market since 1962, and it is an exceptional product that is only available in stores as it cannot be shipped to other regions. You'll definitely become addicted to the texture and deliciousness of the freshly fried product. In addition, there are several directly managed stores in the city that sell store-exclusive products, so you can stroll around the city while munching on freshly fried food.

Kamaei Factory Direct Store

■ Business hours: 9:00-19:00 ■Address: 3-7 Sakaimachi, Otaru City ■ 15 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station Click here for details and map information for "Kamaei Factory Direct Store"

Since its establishment in 1952, Wakatori Jidai Naruto has been preserving the taste of its signature "fried chicken halves." Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, the fried chicken halves are seasoned with just the right amount of salt and go well with both rice and beer. In addition to fried foods such as fried chicken halves and zangi, there is a wide variety of menu items such as sushi, seafood, and various set meals. The recommended dish is the set meal where you can enjoy "fried chicken halves" and sushi at the same time. You can experience the luxury that only Naruto can offer.

Young Chicken Era Naruto Main Store

■ Business hours: 11:00-21:00 (last order 20:30) ■Address: 3-16-13 Inaho, Otaru City ■8 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station Click here for details and map information for "Young Chicken Time Naruto Main Store"

This is a four-season brewery that makes local sake all year round, which is rare nationwide. Their representative brand, Takaragawa, and other Junmai sakes are made using rice from Hokkaido and underground water from Otaru's Tenguyama mountain, resulting in a rich, full-bodied flavor. Sake is brewed every day, so you can tour the brewery at any time for free, and there is also a tasting corner. The main store next door was built in 1927 and is designated as a "historic building" by the city of Otaru, so it's worth a visit even if you don't drink alcohol.

Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura

■ Business hours: 9:05-17:55 ■Address: 2-2 Shinkacho, Otaru City ■ 30 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station / 7 minutes walk from JR Minami-Otaru Station Click here for details and maps of "Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura"