Otaru Canal

Famous Otaru Canal (小樽運河, Otaru Unga) is one of the famous attractions in Hokkaido that u shud not miss!

History info of this canal extracted from Sapporo Tour-guides website:

Its 1140m in length and 40m in width and was completed in 1923 after nine years of construction work. At first, the canal was crowded with barges carrying coal or marine products.

    Around that time, many stone warehouses were built to store these goods. But after the piers were built at Otaru Port, enabling goods to be carried directly from ships onto trucks, the canal fell into disuse and the water became stale and smelly.  

    At first, the city planned to fill in the entire canal and build a road over it. But citizens resisted the plan, and ten years later, in 1986, the city finally gave in and agreed to preserve the canal. Thanks to a citizens' movement, a part of the canal was beautifully restored in the 1980s instead of being landfilled, while the warehouses were transformed into museums, shops and restaurants.
    The canal makes for a pleasant stroll during the day, when artists present their works to passing tourists, and during the evenings when old fashioned gas lamps are lit and provide a romantic atmosphere. The canal also serves as the main site of the town's Snow Light Path Festival.

Stone warehouses

Winter night view at Otaru Canal

Too bad I was here only at night..so only got night view nia..

Us @Otaru Canal

I'm gonna spam you with more photos of us at the Otaru Canal here..nyek  nyek..since I super love the romantic atmosphere here
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Let me show you the surrounding scenery near the canal here
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Big Otaru Canal Map just right beside the canal

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How to get here?
The Otaru Canal is a ten minute walk or a two minute bus ride down the main road from Otaru Station.

For the full itinerary of my Hokkaido trip, checkout here.