Otaru Tour
Explore this historic fishing village
Join us for an Otaru tour to explore this historic port city on the island of Hokkaido. The city is famous for its handmade glassworks, music boxes and sake distilleries, not to mention delicious desserts and sweets. Completed in 1923, the beautiful Otaru Canal is lined with cafes, restaurants and shops, many of which reside in the converted old warehouses used by fisherman and traders many years ago.
Our Otaru tour starts with a stroll around the town of Otaru, admiring the history and tasting the delicious foods along the way. Otaru has some of the freshest seafood in the region and a stop at any of the sushi trains is a must during a visit to this great little area. We can stroll through the shopping district looking at hand blown glass products, or even try to make some ourselves. (This needs to be booked in advance so please contact us prior to the tour to arrange this). We can then try the local specialty, LeTAO Le chocolat cake. A double cheesecake treat that is impossible to stop eating.
On the way home, if the weather is nice, we can stop for a frolic on the beach (covered in snow during winter) and a tasting at the Nikka Whisky factory. An additional option is a visit to the Otaru aquarium, which the kids will love.
- 4 HOURS
- ¥65,000for up to 6 people
-
- Includes transport
- Photography add-on = Extra ¥10,000
- Video add-on = Extra ¥20,000
- 6 HOURS
- ¥85,000for up to 6 people
-
- Includes transport
- Photography add-on = Extra ¥10,000
- Video add-on = Extra ¥20,000
Contact us if you have more than 6 people in your group for a custom quote.
Who does this tour suit?
ALL AGES
This tour is perfect for any size group and any age. Adults will enjoy the scenery, food and history; kids will love frolicking in the snow on the shores of the beach, trying the weird ice-cream flavours and exploring the aquarium or the grounds of the whisky factory. However, it is an hour-long drive to get there and another hour to get back, so be prepared if you have very young children. Photographers will particularly enjoy this tour with many stunning landscapes to capture, along with cultural and street photography.
Time
Tours normally leave at 9.00am, but we can be flexible for the Otaru Tour, so please choose a time that suits you and we will do our best to accommodate. It takes around 45 mins to get there, but we can stop at sights along the way. Please note that in winter it can get dark by 4.00 - 4.30pm.
Photography
Your guide is a professional photographer and will take magazine-quality photos of you throughout the tour. You'll receive these high-resolution images via a link to our online archive within one week of your tour. If you would prefer a video to photos it is an extra ¥10,000 and includes a professionally edited short film with music.
Transport
We'll pick you up from your accommodation and drop you home at the end of the day - unless, of course, you'd like to come and join us at The Brick Bar instead where you get 50% off your first drink! Please let us know in advance if you have infants and we can arrange a car seat for them.
What to Bring
If on a winter tour, please dress in warm waterproof clothing and footwear. Boots or gumboots are best so that you can easily walk in the snow. Please also bring lunch, or money to buy lunch, along with plenty of water.