6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary Day 2
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary Day 2
This is the 6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary Day 2 and we spent the whole day in Otaru. If you have not read the first day itinerary, you can read it at 6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary Day 1.
Our initial plan is to stay one night in Otaru but due to the peak season and expensive hotel rates, we decided to do a day trip.
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary Day 2
Morning
Sapporo Train Station to Otaru Train Station
Otaru is 40 mins from Sapporo (train station). If you have the Hokkkaido JR Pass, you can use it and hop on to the Reserved Seat Train (you can check the announcement or check with train master) or you simply can buy the train ticket over the counter.
For normal JR Train, it is only 640 Yen one way and 1,280 Yen for two ways. For normal train tickets, you don’t get reserved seats so the seats are first come first serve basis.
It is a 40 mins journey and most of the people are heading to Otaru, find a seat or else you will be standing all the way. Please take note that you will walk for the entire day in Otaru so get a seat, rest your legs.
The train ride to Otaru is pretty scenic. There will be a short coastal view before you reach Otaru and the view was quite breath taking.
How to check train schedule in Japan? Use google map and read Why Google Map is so important in Japan.
Afternoon
Mt Tengu
The first place we wanted to visit is Mt Tengu or Mount Tenguyama in Otaru. There is a Mt Tengu Ropeway to go up to the mountain.
Once we reached Otaru Train Station, we go to the Information counter. The front desk speaks English and they offer information, maps and special deals.
You can find a special Mt Tengu Ropeway + Daily Bus Pass for 1,480 Yen at the Otaru Train Station Information counter.
You can also get other deals like from Klook.com with Lunch Combo here. https://www.klook.com/activity/3434-otaru-tenguyama-ropeway-ticket-lunch-set-hokkaido/?aid=602
You have to take Bus no.9 to reach Mt. Tengu Ropeway Station. Then, you just show them the ticket and go all the way up to Mount Tengu.
Watch the video and you will see how beautiful is Mount Tenguyama.
We went up to the mountain during spring time, first week of May which is also the Golden Week of Japan. To our surprise, there are snow on the top of Mount Tenguyama.
There are three lookout points on Mount Tenguyama. Most people will go for the first one but we will recommend the second and third lookout point.
The first and second lookout point comes with the view of the entire Otaru city and the sea. We were told that it is prettier at night.
For the third lookout point, you get to see the greens and mountains of Otaru. The change of landscape is quite apparent when you compare to the first two lookout points.
Since there is still snow on the mountain, we took sometime chilling and taking pictures. We know many people didn’t visit Mt Tengu in Otaru but it is a must visit in our opinion.
After visiting Mt. Tengu, we went down the hill to the same bus station and took a bus to our next destination which Otaru Canal Terminal.
Otaru Canal Terminal
Otaru Canal Terminal is not the Otaru Bus Station. This is the bus terminal near the Otaru Canal. The terminal is a mini food court with a few food stalls, wine tasting counter and a photo shop (selling portable and vintage cameras).
There are a few popular food stalls here so we had a quick lunch here before we walk to the Otaru Canal.
Otaru Denuki Koji
It is less than 10 minutes of walking from Otaru Canal Terminal to Otaru and in between we stumbled upon Denuki Koji.
There are 20 small shops in this historical building and most of them are restaurants (food stalls). If you into the building through the narrow pathway, you will discover more restaurants.
We had another round of quick bite here. It is part of our travel experiences. We eat, we walk, we rest and we repeat. After we finished our food, we crossed the road and we reached Otaru Canal.
Otaru Canal
If you google images from Otaru, you probably seen the Otaru Canal. The Otaru Canal (Otaru Unga) is the most popular tourist attraction of the city. In fact, it plays an important role in the firs thalf of the 20th century.
How do you transport goods from the huge ships to warehouses back then? The items are unloaded to smaller ships and the canal is used to transport goods from the ships to warehouses (along the canal).
Now, the warehouses are transformed into museums, shops and restaurants.
There is also cruises available in Otaru including the Otaru Canal cruise. We didn’t spend a lot of time here as it was late afternoon. We walk to the next destination, Sakaimachi Street.
Sakaimachi Street, Otaru Shopping Street
Sakaimachi Street is 10 mins walk from Otaru Canal. Most of the buildings here are developed in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The buildings are converted into restaurants, café, retail shops and museums now.
We were here to look for LeTao Bakery. They are famous for their cheese cake and we loved their thin sliced cheese cracker. The texture is similar to Hokkaido’s Shiroi Koibito cookies but the taste and filling is cheese. The taste of these cheese cracker is so intense and heavenly, you won’t stop eating it.
You can also find the iconic Otaru Steam Clock Tower located next to main Letao Bakery. There are two LeTao Bakeries in Sakaimichi Street.
Evening
Otaru Train Station to Sapporo Train Station
There are two options. You can stay and eat in Sakaimachi Street in Otaru and then go to the Otaru Canal for the night view or take the bus to Otaru Train Station and go back to Sapporo. We took the second option.
To be honest, we would love to stay at least one night to understand and see more things in Otaru. A day trip to Otaru is not fair for this beautiful place. We missed the night view of Otaru Canal and also some of the other main attractions like Otaru Aquarium, Otaru Museum and more.
If we are planning to travel for Hokkaido for the second time, we will come back for Otaru again.
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary:
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary Day 1
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Itinerary Day 2
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Sakura Itinerary Day 3
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Itinerary Day 4
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Sapporo Chitose Itinerary Day 5
6 Days 5 Nights Hokkaido Chitose Itinerary Day 6
