Souvenir shops are conveniently scattered all across the city of Otaru, inviting visitors to explore its streets while browsing for treasures.

Souvenir stores offer the advantage of comparing products from various companies, and being able to purchase your favorite all under one roof. However, specialty shops like confectioneries and craft stores tend to offer unique, exclusive items not often found in souvenir shops. Both shopping experiences have their own allure!

With her expertise as a professional traveler with a wealth of experience in Hokkaido, Nobuka will guide you through the treasure trove of souvenirs found through wandering Otaru’s streets, from beloved classic confections to elusive items available in limited quantities.

First, let’s look at six carefully selected souvenir shop goods, followed by nine handpicked recommendations from various other stores across Otaru.

Today’s featured souvenir shop is Unga Plaza (officially known as Otaru Sightseeing Products Plaza), managed by the Otaru Tourist Association. It’s conveniently located near the Chuo Bridge overlooking the Otaru Canal. Not only does it offer an array of Otaru souvenirs, but it also serves as a sightseeing information hub for tourists.

Canal Plaza is set to close its doors on March 31, 2024. However, a new shop, Port Marche Otarue, is scheduled to open nearby on March 25, 2024, in the new Otaru International Information Center, which will also offer an array of items, including those highlighted here. (Product availability and specifications are subject to change or discontinuation without notice.)

Both locations are conveniently located within 10 minutes on foot from Otaru Station to Canal Plaza, with an additional 3-4 minutes to Port Marche Otarue.

We will now introduce a comprehensive selection of products, ranging from Otaru's signature confectioneries to items from local food manufacturers. These selections include items tailored to international visitors as recommended by store staff.

Marron Coron is a beloved confection crafted by Otaru's Amato confectionery since 1960. It holds an iconic status amongst the locals as a signature souvenir sweet of Otaru.

Available in four standard flavors: almond, cheese, cacao, and walnut. Each Marron Coron is crafted using only the finest ingredients for the perfect balance of crunchiness and sophistication. Flavors from other series include lemon, black tea, and matcha, featuring two layers of biscuit.

You can buy this treat at Canal Plaza (or Port Marche Otarue after April 2024), at souvenir shops around Otaru and Sapporo, and at the main Amato branch located along Miyako-dori shopping street near Otaru Station.

Crafted by Abe Seimen, a long-established Otaru noodle manufacturer, this series of fresh ramen noodles makes for an ideal souvenir. With a shelf life of 30 days post-production and convenient room temperature storage (away from high heat and humidity), these noodles come in four flavors: the sesame oil-flavored Shio (salt), the rich Miso flavor, Gara (chicken bone), featuring a robust chicken and pork bone base, and Shoyu (soy sauce), with the savory essence of soy sauce, vegetable, and meat.

Abe Seimen is a professional noodle manufacturer that wholesales noodles to countless ramen stores and other noodle shops throughout Otaru. The noodles are made with Otaru’s famously pure and delicious water, along with Hokkaido wheat and other select ingredients—the result: noodles boasting a delightful elasticity and firmness.

This soup contains autumn salmon and root vegetables from Hokkaido, inspired by the traditional Ainu one-pot dish called "Ohau." It contains no chemical seasonings, additives, or artificial coloring, allowing the natural flavors and umami of the ingredients to shine through. Simply remove the inner bag from the outer packaging and microwave it as-is! With its room-temperature storage and ease of consumption, it also makes for the perfect souvenir.

In recent years, rare delicacies have gained popularity among foreign tourists, such as foods and special seafood products like scallops, sea urchins, and more, all specially designed for easy preservation. They come in various types, including processed baby scallops with cheese, and smoked.

One convenient favorite is the Cheese Scallops, offering bite-sized portions for easy eating. It’s made by kneading Hokkaido scallops with minced codfish and mixing natural cheese with kamaboko fish paste. The cheese gradually absorbs the essence of the scallops, creating a delicious fusion of flavors.

Otaru Beer is a local brew crafted only with water, malt, hops, and yeast. It comes in three standard varieties: Pilsner, boasting a fresh, golden hue; Dunkel, creamy and full-bodied with a rich brown color; and Weiss, known for its fruity notes of banana-like flavor. Slow Brew has also garnered acclaim for its use of organic barley and hops, and its low-temperature aging process.

These beers are brewed using a traditional method dating back over 200 years to Germany, renowned for its beer culture. Each brand boasts a robust flavor that perfectly complements meat dishes. The choice of brand ultimately depends on your personal preference.

This candle holder, crafted by Otaru Candle Craft, features original designs depicting winter and summer scenes of the Otaru Canal. The silhouette glass reflects the image of the Otaru Canal, allowing it to dance and shimmer with the gentle flicker of candlelight.

In addition to the blue candleholder featuring the Otaru Canal design, there’s also a pink version decorated with illustrations of Hokkaido’s wildlife set against a starry sky. To enhance the ambiance of your space, place them in a corner, at the entrance, or even outdoors on your balcony or garden!

We will now introduce some limited edition and original goods from Otaru confectioners, including limited products not available in general souvenir shops. You won’t want to overlook these!

Some of the most popular sweets are those from LeTAO, a famous confectioner with several locations in Otaru, including its main branch. Located along the Sakaimachi-dori shopping street, known for drawing in droves of tourists, the LeTAO flagship store offers a full lineup of delectable sweets and multilingual staff to cater to the needs of international visitors. It’s just a short 20-minute walk from Otaru Station, 10 minutes from Asakusa Bridge on the Otaru Canal, and 7 minutes from Minami Otaru Station.

LeTAO’s signature product, the Double Fromage, is a rich, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake. Sold frozen, it’s recommended to enjoy this treat in the comfort of your hotel room on the same night you buy it. The Double Fromage is so delicious, you’ll surely see why it holds such fame the moment you taste it!

While LeTAO operates multiple stores, there are several products exclusively available at its main branch. One of these is the Dolcina Quattro Fromage, a cheese-filled cookie featuring a blend of four cheeses: Camembert, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, and Grana Padano. The salty essence of the cheeses is perfectly balanced with the subtle sweetness of the honey.

Several products are sold exclusively at the main LeTAO store. Another highly recommended product is Petit Chocolat Amando White. While Petit Chocolat is available at all LeTAO stores in flavors like Cocoa and Strawberry, Amando White is a limited-edition variation only found in Otaru. This chocolate treat offers a delightful combination of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate plus crispy almonds, offering a unique flavor experience limited to visitors to the main store!

Kitakaro is a popular Hokkaido confectionery brand famous for its Hokkaido Okaki rice crackers and Baumkuchen Yosei no Mori. While Kitakaro has locations in cities like Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, the Kajuen no Rokugetsu Fruit Cake is an exclusive delicacy only available at Kitakaro’s flagship Otaru branch. This tasty treat is a limited-edition item, only restocked on Fridays and often selling out very quickly. If you miss your chance to get it during your visit, you’ll have to wait for the following week’s shipment!

The fruitcake is satisfyingly filling and boasts a robust, moist texture. Topped with crisp, fresh apples, the cake batter is deliciously infused with mellow apple flavoring. While delicious at room temperature, chilling it in the fridge for 30-60 minutes allows you to indulge in a firmer texture and even more intense flavor.

Kitakaro Otaru Honkan is situated along the Sakaimachi-dori shopping street. We highly recommend enjoying your treats at the shop itself, as well as shopping for souvenirs and enjoying their exquisite cream puffs. It’s just a short 20-minute walk from Otaru Station, 10 minutes from Asakusa Bridge on the Otaru Canal, and 8 minutes from Minami Otaru Station.

Otaru Amazake Truffle Chocolates are original chocolates produced and sold by Rokumi, a longstanding confectionery established in Otaru in 1931. These chocolate truffles are made by infusing sake lees (a byproduct of sake brewing) from Otaru’s Tanaka Sake Brewery, with the aroma of amazake, a traditional sweet sake.

This lineup includes two varieties: the red box is “Sweet,” featuring Couverture chocolate with a high concentration of cacao, while the white box is “White,” featuring chocolates with a rich milk flavor. Both versions are created by kneading sake lees into chocolate using a special process that doesn’t use cream, and finished with a delicate dusting of sake lees powder.

These chocolates boast a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth texture and wonderful sake aroma. Of the two varieties, the white chocolate has a more pronounced sake lees flavor.

Otaru Amazake Truffle Chocolates are available at Rokumi stores and the Tarche souvenir shop inside Otaru Station.

Since its inception in 1911, Sawa-no-Tsuyu Honpo has consistently specialized in a single confectionery delight: the company’s own Suisho Amedama (or “Crystal Candy Ball”). Suisho Amedama is a simple treat, blending boiled sugar with natural lemon flavoring for a smooth texture and a sweet yet refreshing aftertaste.

So savor these flavors, loved by the locals for over a century, and try them yourself. They are available at Sawa-no-Tsuyu Honpo and the Tarche souvenir shop located in Otaru Station.

This is a Baumkuchen like never before with a unique, new texture. This handcrafted delicacy is made by cutting a traditionally baked baumkuchen, baking it in a kiln until it resembles a rusk, and finishing it off with a dusting of caramel powder on the surface.

Made in the likeness of a kawara roof tile (tiles made of molded clay and baked in a kiln), this confection features layers of Baumkuchen with a crispy, slightly firm texture. The stacked layers resemble stacked tiles of traditional roofs, making for a delicious homage to Otaru's history.

Otaru's history dates back over a century to when trading ships called Kitamaebune docked at its port. To prevent these vessels from capsizing and maintain their center of gravity, kawara tiles were loaded onto their bottoms and transported to Otaru. These same tiles were used to roof the town's stores and warehouses, many of which still stand today as tourist attractions.

This innovative Baumkuchen is a unique must-try treat that pays homage to Otaru’s history, crafted and sold by Otaru Hyakka Unga Plus, a creative establishment known for original products inspired by Otaru’s culture and history. It’s located just 10 minutes on foot from Otaru Station near the Chuo Bridge on the Otaru Canal, next to the Otaru City Museum Unga-kan.

They offer a diverse array of specialties, including glassware, canvas products, ceramics, candles, and engraved items made in collaboration with local Otaru artists. You’re bound to discover something you’ll love!

Kitaichi Glass stands as Otaru's signature glass brand, dating back to 1901 when it began as a manufacturer and vendor of oil lamps and fishing floats. In the 1980s, the old building in the port warehouse district was converted into a tourist gallery, Kitaichi Glass Sangokan, sparking significant interest amongst the people. This store's establishment led to the development of numerous other tourist attractions in the neighborhood, shaping the vibrant Sakaimachi shopping street as we know it today—a hub that draws in countless visitors. As such, Kitaichi Glass stands as a pioneer in Otaru's tourism industry.

Kitaichi Glass has various locations throughout Otaru, but its most iconic one is Kitaichi Glass Sangokan. Located along Sakaimachi-dori shopping street, it's about a 20-minute walk from Otaru Station, and a 10-minute walk from Minami Otaru Station. The sales floor is divided into three sections: the Japanese floor, the Western floor, and the Country floor, where you'll find glasses, tableware, lampshades, and other products arranged according to each category. Each item is individually handcrafted, resulting in slightly different textures per piece. You may also pick up each one to examine, compare, and buy the one you like best.

One recommendation is the Tsukimi series on the Japanese floor. When you gaze into the moon pattern on the side of the glass, you can see the image of an adorable rabbit or cat appearing on the moon. The collection offers several variations, including beer mugs, tumblers, and swing glasses, each featuring seasonal colors and shapes. With such variety, you're bound to discover a favorite!

The Otaru Music Box Store is a favorite spot for tourists, drawing in crowds with its diverse collection of music boxes—it’s a challenge to pick just one! Among the array of options, one recommendation is the Steam Clock Music Box, displayed in front of the main building and inspired by the image of a steam clock.

The music box exudes a nostalgic atmosphere and retro charm with its handmade feel and unique, hand-painted color. One of the four clock plates actually functions as a real clock and can be removed to replace the batteries. It also offers a selection of tunes, including the melody of “Grandfather’s Old Clock.”

The main building of the Otaru Music Box Museum was originally the office building of a rice merchant constructed in 1915. Designated as a historical structure by Otaru City, it has been repurposed and now houses the museum.

The Otaru Music Box Museum main building is a short 20-minute walk from Otaru Station, or 7 minutes from Minami-Otaru Station. Boasting one of the most extensive music box collections in Japan, the spacious three-story establishment offers a captivating variety of these beautiful treasures. So if you find yourself visiting here, be sure to allow yourself enough time to explore the store and browse for your personal favorites.

The experience menu (reservations required, starting at 2,500 yen) entails a production time of 40-60 minutes, followed by about 30 minutes for drying the bond. In total, you can expect to spend 70-90 minutes crafting your piece before taking it home.

Otaru offers an array of diverse delights, from delectable sweets to art, glassware, and culture. Here we have highlighted 15 recommendations, however the town has so much more to explore! As you wander through the streets of Otaru and peruse its shops, you're bound to discover lots of souvenirs that you’ll just want to take home!

Shopping in Otaru is an exciting experience, and you just might find yourself accumulating a collection of goods before you even know it! So if you're planning a trip to Otaru, be sure to leave your luggage at the hotel, and opt for a lighter one as you embark on a journey around the town.

Information in article as of February 2024. Please see official websites for the latest updates and information.

English translation by: Krys Suzuki