The nickname given to Otaru may seem exaggerated, but this small town on the outskirts of Sapporo had its own moment of glory. Even today, traces of its illustrious past can be seen throughout the city.
To reach Otaru, you’ll take Hokkaido’s oldest train line, a coastal route that follows the shoreline of Ishikari Bay, where Otaru sits. It’s a fitting introduction, with striking views over the Sea of Japan, directly facing Russia.
Otaru was once the gateway to Hokkaido, where American, British and Russian sailors came to trade — hence its nickname, the “Wall Street of the North”. Today, what remains are streets lined along the Otaru Canal, and former stone warehouses converted into restaurants, shops and hotels along Sakaimachi Street. These streets, decorated with Victorian-style lamps, are the city’s main draw.
With its streets, canals and hills crowned with old wooden houses, Otaru leans heavily into its early 20th-century atmosphere. A sense of elegance and quiet nostalgia for its illustrious past lingers throughout the city.
Today, Otaru is known across Japan chiefly for its exceptional sushi (particularly its sea urchin) and its famously expensive spider crab. The city is also known for Otaru Beer, its own popular brewery. In winter, the city also offers ski slopes overlooking the bay — not a common experience, skiing with the sea in view.
