Otaru, Japan Hotels, Vacations, Tourism

One of the most relaxing ways of arriving at or leaving Hokkaido is on a ferry to or from the port of OTARU , some 40km northwest of Sapporo. Though the town itself has no major attractions, save for an area of restored Meiji-era buildings along a canal, and Mount Tengu, where there's skiing in winter, its cluster of good-value hotels make this a possible base if you can't find anywhere to stay in Sapporo. To find the nineteenth-century canal quarter, head towards the sea from Otaru Station down Chuo-dori, the town's main street. The canal is at its most attractive for a very short stretch to the right of … more »