• This tour will take us to the port city of Otaru. Otaru is just a 30-minute convenient train ride away from Sapporo. Otaru was once one of the most prosperous port cities on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Otaru is long past its proud history as a fishing and coal port town, but traces of its glory days remain almost everywhere and visitors should take note.
• Most tourism activities in Otaru are centered around the Otaru Canal in The Sakaimachi Sightseeing and Shopping District. So many sights to see and activities to partake in in
• this area. Specifically, on this tour we will “focus on” these well known locations along Sakaimachi Street

This tour will start at Sapporo Station, in front of “MYOMU” (The Circular Stone Structure)at 9a.m. This circular stone structure is located in front of the doors at the South Exits of the station. Your guide (wearing a Snow Monkey tag) will be there to greet you. The tour will begin with a walk along The Otaru Canal(Unga)which is the symbol of Otaru. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023. Brick and stone warehouses line the canal, a reminder of Otaru’s role as a trading hub for Hokkaido during the rapid industrialisation of Japan in the Meiji and Taisho periods.