Locally LeTAO is called Otaru Western Pastry Shop LeTAO. Originally it manufactured and sold chocolate wholesale, but in 1998 it opened a store in the fashionable Marchen Square, the center of Otaru tourism. Double Fromage, a cheesecake made with the skills developed from making chocolate and so delicious it melts in your mouth, became so hugely popular that LeTAO became synonymous with Otaru pastry.

It celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018 and currently operates as the LeTAO Main Shop. New concept shops have opened one after the other close by.

The LeTAO Main Shop is about a 7-minute walk from the JR Minami Otaru Station, a 20-minute walk from Otaru Station, and a little more than 10 minutes on foot from the popular Otaru Canal sightseeing area.

By the way, access from Minami Otaru Station and Otaru Station is convenient because the rapid trains running between Sapporo Station and New Chitose Airport Station stop at them.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the LeTAO shops in the center of Otaru.

This was the original LeTAO on which its pastry empire was built. On the first floor are freshly made cakes and pastries as well as limited edition items only available here. There is a tea corner on the second floor where you can enjoy pastries and tea while overlooking Marchen Square.

After viewing all the limited edition pastry gift items on the first floor, next proceed to the second floor to enjoy some delicious pastry.

The Kiseki no Kuchidoke [Miraculously Melts in Your Mouth] Set (1,404 yen) is the most popular here and goes very well with tea.

The Double Fromage is a double-layered cake having one layer of rare cheesecake and the other of baked cheesecake. One bite and it feels like bubbles melting in your mouth as the rich milky flavor spreads throughout.

Venezia Rendezvous is a cheese brûlée cake in which a mixture of LeTAO's special cream and Mascarpone cheese are poured into a pie tart shell and then baked. It has a light, rich, milky texture. There is a distinct hint of vanilla beans.

Eaten with fresh whipped cream, this sweet will melt in your mouth and leave a wonderful milky flavor on your tongue. LeTAO's whipped cream keeps its rich milky flavor because it is made with pasteurized milk having a 42% fat content. It does not feel too rich, so goes perfectly with the cheesecake!

The set offers a choice of tea, coffee, or orange juice, but we think the tea goes best.

There are several types of tea from which to choose: "Sounds of the Carillon" (iced only) that is only served here, Earl Gray, peach apricot, an original bland, and a "seasonal tea" (hot or iced). All use tea leaves from the Nuwara Eliya region of Sri Lanka. The tea is a blend of pure Ceylon tea and Swiss herbs which produces a highly-flavorful tea.

In addition to the Miraculous Melts in Your Mouth set, there is also a Cake Set (972 yen) that comes with a LeTAO cake of your selection as well as coffee or tea. When you wish to take a break from your sightseeing in Otaru and relax a bit, then this is the perfect place to visit and enjoy a delicious pastry at the same time.

Fromage Danish DANI LeTAO, located across the street from the Main Ship, opened in 2018 and specializes in Danish cheese pastries.

Fromage Danish (297 yen each) are pastries in which the top layer is Hokkaido cream cheese and the bottom layer is Italian mascarpone cheese. These two layers come together to form a milky cream wrapped up in the delicious crispy baked crust.

The baked crust is crispy and the cream filling is rich and flavorful producing a wonderful combination.

In addition to the Fromage Danish, you might also enjoy the Crème Glacée! These are soft ice creams; the Jersey Milk (360 yen) is made with lots of Hokkaido jersey milk; the Cinq Fromage (390 yen) has a cheese flavor; and the Mariage (390 yen) is a combination of the other two.

Shop specializing in cheese Danish.

After the cheese comes the chocolate!
Located a short 3-minute walk from the Main Shop in the Sakaimachi shopping district is the LeTAO chocolate patisserie Nouvelle Vague LeTAO Chocolatier Otaru Main Shop

LeTAO got its start as a manufacturer of chocolate. Using expertise acquired over many years, it has created a wide selection of delicious and beautiful chocolates created by skilled chocolatier.
Although there is no cafe inside the shop, there is an eat-in corner with table and chairs.

Recommended for souvenirs are the cake Adele (2,160 yen) limited to this store and the hard-type chocolate Sante Lien (540 yen each).

For freshly made chocolate sweets, the Petit Chocolat Crepe (300 yen, 330 yen with framboise sauce) area a must!

The crepe dough has a rich taste of chocolate and tart taste of framboise with a rich, cacao flavor. The balance is superb. While it may be just a simple crepe, it nevertheless has a deep, satisfying flavor.

In addition to the crepes, the Crème Glacée chocolate soft ice cream is also recommended! It is an original soft ice cream that combines LeTAO's specially prepared fresh cream with extraordinarily thick cacao that gives it a refreshing taste and the rich aroma and milkiness of cacao.

All of LeTAO’s many chocolates are the culmination of traditional techniques resulting in flavors that are truly alive. You really must try them if you have the chance!

The fourth shop, LeTAO PATHOS, is across the street from Nouvelle Vague LeTAO Chocolatier Otaru Main Shop. Double Fromage and other popular LeTAO pastries are displayed on the first floor and on the second floor there is a spacious cafe that serves dishes such as pasta and soup curry in addition to pastries.

The Mini Venezia Rendezvous (350 yen each) on the first floor is a highly recommended take-out item. This is perfect those who would like to have something sweet and light to eat while they are walking about.

The fifth shop, which is located next to LeTAO PATHOS, is LeTAO Plus. This is a take-out specialty shop that offers popular LeTAO pastries as well as its original soft ice cream and limited edition sweets.

The Fluffy Soufflé Omelet (350 yen) is highly recommended. It makes a perfect snack and is just the right size!

For those who don’t have time to leisurely sightsee in Otaru, Ekimo LeTAO is the place to go. Located in front of Otaru Station, you can shop here without worrying about train times.

Here you can purchase the famous Double Fromage and other popular LeTAO pastries. Many of the items offered here are beautifully packaged making them perfect for souvenirs and gifts. The Congratulations Gift Set (5,000 yen) includes a number of baked goods that are especially popular.

Of the six LeTAO shops in Otaru, which one was your favorite? If you are not sure, then by all means visit them all and sample the delicious items in each to help you decide. There is always room in the stomach for something sweet! All of the LeTAO shops are waiting for you!

Text : Nobuhiro Kawashima