Otaru Day Trip from Sapporo: 13 Best Things to Do & Eat!
Otaru is one of the cities that you instantly feel good in. This port city is well known for its rich history of glass making, high quality seafood and its romantic canal area. You’ll also find a bustling street packed full of eateries, shops and Snoopy village that you’ll find yourself meandering in and out of throughout the day.
It’s only around 30–45 minutes northwest of Sapporo by train, or 50 minutes by car which makes it a perfect day trip from the city of Sapporo. Coming here feels a little like home to us, as you’ll see that Otaru boasts a lot of substantial Western-style architecture and influence, earning it the nickname “Wall Street of the North” due to its financial district.
We visited here during the autumn, which was a beautiful time to visit and enjoy everything Otaru has to offer, but it also takes on a new feeling throughout each season, with the winter being beautiful with snow laden streets, and spring bringing the elusive cherry blossoms.
If you’re planning a day trip to Otaru, here are 13 of our best recommendations, from a local living in Hokkaido!
How To Get Here From Sapporo
By Train: Getting from Sapporo to Otaru is quick and easy by train. The most convenient option is the JR Hakodate Line, which runs directly from Sapporo Station to Otaru Station in around 30–45 minutes. Trains run frequently throughout the day, and you can use a JR Pass or pay with an IC card like Suica. For the best experience, try to sit on the right-hand side on the way to Otaru, you’ll get beautiful coastal views as the train hugs the shoreline!
By Car: It takes around 50 minutes by car to get to Otaru and it is a beautifully scenic drive with nature covered tunnels, and rich colours through Spring/Summer and Autumn to enjoy, and white capped mountains in the winter. There are plenty of parking options in the area to choose from, we personally used the Otaru Parking Lot which we recommend as it was less than a 5 minute walk to the clock tower and centre of Otaru. Parking address: 1 Chome-2-28 Irifune, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0021
13 Best Things to Do & Eat In Otaru
There are so many incredible things to enjoy in Otaru, as we are now living in Sapporo, we will continue adding to this list as we go and enjoy more places, and of course delicious food spots that we recommend trying!
1.Enjoy Strolling Down The Otaru Canal (Or Catching A Ride!)
The Otaru Canal is one of Hokkaido’s most iconic sights, a 1,140-metre waterway lined with beautifully preserved stone warehouses that reflect the city’s rich maritime past, as shown in our images below!
Where better to start your day than a relaxing stroll down the waterway. It gets very popular here later in the day with coach tours, so head here first to beat the crowds!
You can even catch a cruise ride down the canal to fully take in the city from the water. They offer 35-40 minute rides, and you can choose to cruise at nighttime too if you want to see the city from a different perspective. This is definitely on our list to try on our next visit!
Whilst strolling down the canal you’ll find what we found to be the only public toilets in Otaru, just something to bear in mind as public toilets can sometimes be really difficult to find.
2. Walk To Temiya Park
If you fancy a nice walk, we highly recommend taking yourself to Temiya Park. It is around a 30 minute walk, but trust me, the views are worth it!
It overlooks Otaru port and you can see the nearby adjoining Temiya Ryokuka Botanical Gardens. We came here during the Autumn, but it really is a must visit during cherry blossom season when the whole area is in bloom.
There are benches in the park so you can have a rest, take in the view, or even bring a picnic up here during the warmer weather to break up your day trip to Otaru.
3. See The Steam Clock
Before you hit the shopping street you’ll find the infamous Otaru steam clock. The British style clock tower releases a plume of steam every 15 minutes, which is then accompanied by a distinct five-note melody. We recommend heading here first on your way to the canal to avoid the crowds later in the day.
It is quite the photo spot, and a really unique thing to witness in this charming fishing village.
5. Have A Miffy Themed Treat
Otaru is also known for having ‘Snoopy Village’, and you will find Snoopy and Miffy treats a-plenty here. If you like the ‘kawaii’ culture, you can’t come to Otaru without trying one of the character shaped treats.
You’re spoilt for choice, as in the bakery they have everything you can think of shaped with Miffy, from loaf cakes to filled buns. I went for a red bean paste filled bun which was absolutely delicious (and a classic Japanese filling)! It’s quite the novelty, but a really lovely thing to enjoy for both kids and adults here in Otaru!
6. Explore The Local Artisan Shops
The main shopping street in Otaru was one of our favourite things to explore, you could easily spend your entire day just peacefully perusing the shops.
Otaru is known for its rich history of glass making, and there are lots of local artisan shops filled with glass figurines, traditional glass lampshades, bear statues and other items that make incredible gifts and souvenirs of your time spent in Hokkaido.
If you want a truly classic souvenir to remember Otaru by, get a figurine of the clock tower, or buy a glass souvenir from one of the many glass making shops.
7. Try Hokkaido Famous Milk Soft Serve
Hokkaido is famous for its delicious dairy products and daily soft serve ice creams are a non negotiable when on holiday here! You’re spoilt for choice with all of the cafes and restaurant, and you’ll usually find a Hokkaido milk soft serve in most places.
Despite it being a cold day during our visit in October, there’s something refreshing and cosy about having an ice-cream. This one was absolutely incredible, and we got it with a side of Baumkuchen (one of our favourite types of moist cakes in Japan) – oishi!
8. Snoopy Village
Otaru is home to a popular Snoopy Village (also known as Snoopy Cha-Ya) on Sakaimachi Street, a must-visit for fans. Spread across two floors, it’s filled with Peanuts merchandise, exclusive stained-glass displays (paying homage to the glass making history), and a café serving Snoopy-themed treats, making it a standout stop for character lovers visiting Hokkaido.
Even if you’re not a fan, there’s something so kawaii about snoopy, and as a 90’s child, both myself and my wife really enjoyed the nostalgic and unexpected charm it brings to Otaru.
Of course, we grabbed a snoopy treat on the way out, it was a cheese filled pancake, thinking it would be like a cheesecake filling, but no, it was actual cheese! Not our favourite treat from the day trip, but still a lot of fun.
9. Take A Moment And Enjoy All The Picturesque Moments
There is no shortage of picture moments at Otaru, and perhaps that’s part of the charm and enjoyment of this city. With a cute, meandering street, a romantic canal, adorable street corners, moments from Snoopy village, along with all of the seasonal elements that add to the image.
Walk with your camera, be in the moment and enjoy the unexpected and cute opportunities that present themselves. It’s a free activity, and one that allows you to stop and take a moment.
10. Visit The Fish Market
For a taste of local life, a visit to one of Otaru’s fish markets is a must. Spots like Sankaku Market, located right by the station, are packed with small stalls selling incredibly fresh seafood—from crab and scallops to uni and salmon.
Many vendors also serve up simple, delicious meals on the spot, making it the perfect place to try a fresh seafood bowl and experience Otaru’s rich fishing culture.
11. Enjoy The Surrounding Shrines
Otaru is home to several peaceful shrines that offer a quieter side of the city beyond the canal and shopping streets. The most well-known is Otaru Shrine, set on a hillside surrounded by forest and especially beautiful during cherry blossom season.
Closer to the coast and more manageable in a shorter day trip is Temiya Shrine sits within Temiya Park, offering a more local, tranquil atmosphere with scenic views over the harbour, this was the one we visited during our day which was a peaceful 30 minute stroll away from the crowds.
12. Glass Museum
Otaru is famous for its glassmaking heritage, 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. If you’re spending more than a day in Otaru, this would be perfect to add into your plans as visiting all 5 can take around 2-3 hours.
You’ll also find shops and workshops nearby, where you can watch artisans at work or pick up unique souvenirs to take home.
13. Finish With An Apple Pie
Finally, another staple sweet treat to try during your trip is an apple pie made from Hokkaido apple. A warming treat that is perfect, no matter the season you visit here. It’s homey, wholesome and a great way to end your trip to Otaru.
We’d recommend grabbing one from Fromage Dani Danish!
Otaru is one of our favourite cities in Hokkaido, it’s so homey, cosy and has so much to offer from sights and food, to local craftsmanship! We’d love to know what you think of Otaru in the comments below, and if you have any other questions that we can help with!
