Otaru

WELL worth a visit for its historic architecture, fresh seafood and famous handicrafts, the port city of Otaru is an easy day trip from Niseko.

As Otaru has been a fishing town for centuries, the city’s most famous landmark is the canal, which used to be the transportation hub for fishing tugboats. The canal is adorned with Victorian-style street lamps on its walkway, and lined with warehouses that have been turned into souvenir shops and restaurants.

Otaru is also famous for its sushi and sashimi, and supplies high-quality seafood across Japan, so make sure to try the seafood BBQ, sushi rolls, or a plate of hairy crab legs.

A popular attraction on the west side of the city is Nishin Goten (herring mansion). This large wooden building, built in 1897, was once the house of Hunkumatsu Tanakaa, a tycoon of the herring fishing industry. Visitors can clearly see the difference between the run-down conditions of the first floor sleeping quarters of the workers and the ground floor luxury of Tanaka’s rooms.

Another major industry in Otaru was glass. There were – and still are – many glassware factories across the city, as the residents used to make glass buoys and lamps for fishery. In the old days, they also started making glass souvenirs to attract more visitors. There are plenty of shops and small museums around the city, which display the unique and creative glassware designs.

Otaru can be directly reached by train from either Kutchan or Niseko.