Otaru 2 Days Itinerary For The Best Stay
Whether you’re planning a trip from Sapporo for a couple of days, or heading to Otaru during a Hokkaido trip, there’s so many things to do in Otaru, and being a quaint coastal fishing village, offers a completely different vibe to a stay in Sapporo.
Otaru has a rich history of glass making, is well known for its romantic canal that runs through the town, and it’s one of those places that offers a different experience, throughout the very distinct seasons in Hokkaido. Autumn might be one of our favourite times as the weather is comfortable and the town comes alive with rich, fiery red leaves for the most beautiful feel.
As locals in Sapporo, we’ve been to Otaru a few times so we’ve put together a bumper Otaru 2 days itinerary to help you have the best stay. Keep reading to find off the beaten track recommendations, a fun activity for the whole family, along with the best food spots!
Otaru 2 Days Itinerary For The Best Stay
Day 1
Mt. Tengu
Start day 1 ascending Mount Tengu, if you have a rental car you can park right up the top, but I really recommend getting the ropeway up to the top to enjoy the full experience and take in the stunning coastal views of the port below. It opens at 9am (depending on the season, so do check in advance) and runs between April and early November.
The unique thing about this ropeway is that pets can come too. The journey takes around 5 minutes to the summit, covering 735m in length and costs ¥1,800 for adults, ¥900 for kids and ¥500 for pets.
At the top, the views are absolutely incredible. Head to the Mt. Tengu sakura observatory to take in the views and snap some photos, you can also order food to go from the takeaway menu inside the cafe to eat outside.
There’s actually so much to do up here that you never see people talking about online! One of the best activities you must try is the Tenguyama Slider course, a toboggan run that’s 400 metres long and takes you through the forest and down the mountain. It costs ¥800 for adults.
Enjoy it as gently, or as fast as you like, it only takes around 5 minutes in total but is something the whole family can take part in, infants can ride with an adult as well.
There’s other photo spot opportunities at the top of Mt. Tengu and there’s a chipmunk park where entry is completely free. It’s a small little park but really worth popping in for a visit whilst you’re in the area. You can feed them seeds with a little spoon for ¥300, absolutely adorable!
We’re always a bit wary about animal welfare in Japan and don’t visit zoos etc but it was a peaceful space which was not overrun by chipmunks and they seemed really well looked after.
On weekends you can even zip line here and journey further into the sky with the Tenguu hot air balloons, offering a 360 degree panoramic view!
Time for a spot of lunch in the Tenguu cafe and they have a large menu of full meals such as curries and pizza, with plenty of snacks and sweet treats that you can enjoy. They also have a separate takeaway menu for items you can take outside and enjoy on the terrace.
The pork curry and pizza are delicious and on a warm day, the soft serve is the best! The below is their Matcha Cream Zenzai which had soft serve, red bean paste, matcha mochi and a little biscuit. Just look at those views below from the cafe.
After lunch, if you like walking there is a 30 minute hike on the forest trail loop to the Daini Observatory, there is a small cabin on the way up where you can have a break and take in the beautiful scenery on the way up. Allow yourself 1-1.5 hours to complete this trail.
Otaru Town – Steam Clock Tower
Catch the ropeway back down into Otaru town to enjoy the late afternoon through to the evening. One of the iconic landmarks in Otaru is their all singing, all dancing steam clock tower.
The steam tower goes off every 15 minutes with a plume of smoke and melodies. It is the twin to Vancouver’s Gastown steam clock and becomes a real attraction during the day.
Sakaimachidori Shopping Street
The shopping street in Otaru is one of our favourites, you could easily spend hours just wandering down the street and going inside all of the little artisanal shops.
Otaru has a really rich history of glass making and there’s plenty of glassworks shops to go inside ranging from glass tableware to glass jewellery so there’s plenty of opportunities to find some unique presents, and gifts for yourself to take home.
If you fancy an afternoon pick me up, there’s so many cute little food places along this stretch of the street. Matcha Sweets Shop SAWAWA does the best matcha and sweet treats.
Dinner
Otaru is perhaps best known for their delicious, and very fresh seafood so start the first night by grabbing some sushi from Otaru Masazushi Main (Hokkaido). They have an English friendly menu so you don’t need to worry about not knowing what you’re ordering, and they offer an extensive range of seafood to enjoy.
We’re going to check back on the canal on day 2 to properly make the most of it, but I do recommend heading down to Otaru Canal after your meal to take in the beauty of it at nighttime.
63 traditional gas lamps illuminate the historic stone warehouses at night and it offers a really romantic and completely different perspective on how it feels during the day. It tends to be a lot quieter at night as well once the day tours have gone home for the day.
Day 2
Temiya Park
Most shops, attractions and restaurants are not open until 10am in Otaru, so instead, start the day early with a walk up to Temiya Park. It’s around 30 minutes from the bottom of the town, and there is a small hill involved but it is Japan, so time to get those steps in! Trust me, the views are worth it.
It’s a must visit in spring time as the park is taken over by beautiful sakura blossoms, there’s benches in the park and you get the most incredible view over the port of Otaru.
Otaru Canal
Head back down into the town and you can’t miss Otaru Canal and take a canal cruise during the day. Cruises depart normally every 30 minutes from the dock and cost ¥1,800 for adults and ¥500 for children during the day (if you prefer to take a night cruise, it’s ¥2,000 for adults).
The canal cruise takes you down the canal at a leisurely pace so you can take in all of the stunning scenery during the ride, it also includes a detailed audio guidance which is available in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.
The canal might be one of our favourite areas in Otaru because of how the landscape changes each season. In the spring you can expect views of snow topped mountains, new greenery and flowers, colourful, fiery leaves in autumn and a winter wonderland as the snow arrives. The canal operates all year and is fitted with tents and heated seats in the winer!
Otaru Sankaku Fish Market
Get up close with the fresh seafood that Otaru is famous for by visiting the Otaru Sankaku Market. This bustling market is situated directly next to JR Otaru Station.
It has 20 specialised shops inside and plenty of places to seat so you can grab some delicious seafood. Build your own fresh seafood bowl (Kaisen-don) for lunch, this is an Otaru food speciality!
Glass Museum
Otaru is well known for their rich history of glass making, and one of the best places to experience it is the Otaru Glass Museum. Set inside a collection of beautifully preserved historic buildings, the museum showcases delicate hand-blown glassware, intricate designs, and traditional techniques that the city has been known for since its port days.
Purchasing a ticket allows you to visit all five buildings of Otaru Art Village without an expiration date, the cost is ¥3,000 yen for adults.
You’ll also find shops and workshops nearby, where you can watch artisans at work or pick up unique souvenirs to take home. If you’re visiting with kids, you might want to check out the Otaru Aquarium instead which is open between March and November every year.
Snoopy Village
Late afternoon, make your way back to the main shopping street to get any last minute gifts and souvenirs. Snoopy Village is located in Sakaimachi-dori Shopping Street, the main shopping street in Otaru and it is the sweetest shop to explore! This themed shop has pretty much everything you can think of, in Snoopy and friends version.
There’s also a little stall inside to buy snoopy themed snacks from, I recommend the red bean paste filled Snoopy head which is utterly adorable.
Dinner
For dinner on your second night, it’s time to try another Otaru speciality, Ankake Yakisoba. This is fried noodles with a savory starchy sauce and is really tasty! Otaruzaka is a great little find, near the central shopping street yet slightly off the beaten track, restaurants aren’t open too late in Otaru so make sure you come here between 5-7pm.
This cosy ramen restaurant offers a range of authentic Japanese noodle dishes, with something to suit both classic and adventurous tastes. The menu centres around rich, slow-cooked pork broth ramen, available in several popular styles including miso, soy sauce (shoyu), and salt (shio).
If you can spend 2 days in Otaru it will help do this gorgeous coastal town justice, as there is so much to explore and things to do! It’s only around an hour from the city of Sapporo which makes it a great extension from your stay there, giving you a different taste of what Hokkaido has to offer.
Staying in Sapporo for a week? Check out our 7 day Sapporo itinerary for more inspiration and things to do on your next trip here.
