Facing the Sea of Japan and nestled in the great wilderness of Hokkaido Prefecture, Otaru is a small port city where atmospheric charm and breathtaking sceneries meet artisanal traditions and local gastronomy.
Although Otaru shines in all seasons—whether it’s pastel springs, verdant summers, or fiery autumns—arguably, its most magical time of year is winter. During this chilly season, Otaru’s famous canal, quaint cityscape, and historical sites receive a healthy coating of snow, transforming the city into a setting straight out of a fairytale. When you need to warm up, Otaru’s many museums, artisanal shops, and local eateries offer refuge from the cold. And if you are interested in a more heart-pounding experience of Otaru’s winter, the picturesque mountains outside the city’s center serve as excellent places for winter sports.
For your home away from home, Hotel Sonia Otaru acts as a convenient base for sightseeing. Not only does the hotel face the Otaru Canal, but it also offers canal-view rooms, natural hot spring baths, and top-notch cuisine. It is the perfect place to start and end your wintertime retreat.
How to enjoy Otaru in winter
Without a doubt, Otaru’s most iconic feature is the Otaru Canal. Once serving as an integral part of the city’s port processes, this canal is now a communal space where residents and visitors alike enjoy waterside strolls and lovely views in all seasons. Many of the warehouses along the canal have also been converted into museums, shops, and restaurants. During winter, the canal’s banks, preserved warehouses, and distant mountains don a captivating blanket of snow, ensuring that every stroll and photo taken exude wintertime charm.
At night, when the gas-lit lamps cast a yellow-orange glow on the surroundings, the scenery becomes pure magic. The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival, held annually in February, epitomizes this jovial winter scene with illuminated snow sculptures and flickering candles floating on the canal.
Otaru’s cultural and historical sites also receive winter makeovers. Visit spiritual places, like Ryugu Shrine and Suitengu Shrine, to enjoy quiet moments of introspection—elevated by the softening powers of snow. The traditional wooden facades also contrast beautifully with the white landscape.
Resting outside Otaru’s Canal District, the Old Aoyama Villa, also known as Herring Palace, is a stunning example of Japanese craftsmanship. During the Taisho era (1912–1926), the Aoyama family was a distinguished and wealthy part of Otaru’s herring fishing industry and thus, spared no expense when crafting their villa.
The impressive building reflects the family’s sophisticated taste for beauty and the arts, showcasing expensive zelkova wood, a tiled roof, lacquered floors and pillars, wide Japanese cedar ceilings, fusuma sliding doors adorned with paintings and calligraphy, and much more. During winter, you can explore this grand villa—inside and out—under the bright glow of snow-reflected sunlight. The onsite restaurant also serves seasonal herring-based dishes, such as hot soba (buckwheat noodles) with herring, that are bound to warm your body and soul.
In addition to its historical relics, Otaru is also a hotspot for artisanal crafts and art. The Otaru Art Base, located beside the canal, is home to a collection of early-20th-century buildings that exhibit various Japanese and international works. Admire colorful stained glass at the Stained Glass Museum, paintings, sculptures, and woodcut prints at the Nitori Museum of Art, and Renaissance-style architecture at the Former Mitsui Bank Otaru Branch. Together, the Otaru Art Base’s offerings weave an enchanting—and primarily indoor—tale of the city’s art, culture, and architecture.
Fans of glassware will not want to miss Kitaichi Glass’ numerous shops. This renowned company has been crafting high-quality products since the early 20th century. Its main souvenir shop, Kitaichi Glass Building No. 3, houses a stunning array of dishes, glasses, lamps, and accessories in a repurposed stone warehouse. Onsite, the Kitaichi Hall—an atmospheric cafe softly illuminated by 167 gas lamps—offers a cozy retreat where you can enjoy a steaming cup of coffee or tea alongside live piano performances. (Please note that the piano performances only occur from Tuesday to Friday at 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm). For hands-on fun, be sure to check out the Kitaichi Glass Experience Studio’s sand-blasting and bead-arrangement workshops.
An equally charming place in Otaru is the Otaru Music Box Museum (Otaru Orgel Doh Main Hall). This three-story building is Japan’s largest music box store and features 5,000 varieties of music boxes—from cute, fairytale-like pieces to intricately refined ones. On the third floor, you can even create your own personalized music box! Aside from its main building, Orgel Doh Co., Ltd. has three additional stores in Otaru.
As you discover Otaru’s vibrant history and culture, be sure to leave time for a leisurely stroll along the famous Sakaimachi Street. This well-preserved area exudes Taisho-era charm and boasts souvenir shops, museums, restaurants, and historical buildings. With its multiple sushi restaurants, the street is a prime location to enjoy the area’s fresh seafood.
Outside the quaint cityscape, you will find mesmerizing natural sceneries that offer wintertime panoramas and snow sports opportunities. Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort is a modest ski area with five courses—one beginner, two intermediate, and two advanced—making it a perfect spot for a half-day or full day of skiing. For a more relaxed experience of the snowy sceneries, hop on the Tenguyama Ropeway and witness sprawling vistas of Mt. Tengu, Otaru, and the ocean beyond. The view from the Tenguyama Observation Deck has earned one star in the Michelin Green Guide Japan. The observatory also houses TENGUU CAFE, where you can sip hot beverages and dine on warm meals in front of windows that face the scenic landscape.
Located a bit farther from Otaru’s city center, Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort is a picturesque area with nine courses that are suitable for everyone, from beginners to advanced visitors. The slopes, some of which are blessed with powder snow, overlook the area where Otaru meets the sea, creating a captivating snow sports experience.
Where to stay in Otaru: Hotel Sonia Otaru
For easy access to all of Otaru’s charms, consider staying at Hotel Sonia Otaru. This four-star hotel faces the Otaru Canal and offers lavish amenities, such as canal-view rooms, hot spring bathing facilities on the top floor, high-quality regional cuisine, and a cafe that serves specialty coffee. The hotel’s retro-modern design invites you into a cozy world where comfort and luxury are a part of every moment.
Hot springs
Hotel Sonia Otaru is one of the few places in Otaru where you can unwind in a natural hot spring bath. The water is known for its excellent heat retention that leaves you feeling toasty long after bathing—a perfect antidote to the cold. The bathing facilities, separated by gender, are located on the hotel’s top floor. The men’s area grants sweeping views of the canal from an indoor bath, and the women’s area has an open-air bath that offers a refreshing contrast of cold air and steaming water. After soaking away your winter chills, relax in the post-bath lounge. The peaceful scenery of the Otaru Canal will further lull you into a state of contentment.
Restaurant “SUSHI & GRILL IL ONAI”
For dinner, dine on artistically plated cuisine that showcases Hokkaido’s ingredients. SUSHI & GRILL IL ONAI, located on the hotel’s first floor, specializes in Ezo-mae sushi—sushi made with fish from Hokkaido—and is popular for its charcoal-grilled dishes. For instance, you can savor Tokachi beef sushi paired with local Otaru sake (Takaragawa).
The chic dining space blends traditional and modern aesthetics, representing the restaurant’s duality of ingenuity and respect for Otaru’s enduring food culture. From the open and live kitchen, you can watch chefs prepare exceedingly fresh dishes using the region’s fish, meat, and vegetables. The restaurant also offers a range of carefully selected Hokkaido wine and sake to enjoy alongside your meal. On weekends and holidays, the eatery even serves lunch!
To start your day, nourish yourself with the flavors of Hokkaido at the restaurant’s breakfast buffet. The extensive spread of food includes Japanese and Western cuisine, as well as the popular DIY seafood bowl. Start with a warm bowl of rice and top it with delicious ingredients such as salmon, shrimp, and scallops. The buffet also has a plethora of dishes inspired by Ainu culture, including zango (fried chicken), jaga butter (butter-topped potatoes), ankake yakisoba (stir-fried noodles in a thick sauce), chiporosito (sticky rice cakes), and more.
Guest rooms
Of Hotel Sonia Otaru’s 149 rooms, approximately 70% offer views of the Otaru Canal, allowing you to seamlessly blend this iconic sight into your lodging experience. The North and South Wings are home to rooms like the Standard Twin and Canal Standard Twin, which feature antique furniture imported from the UK and warm, ambient lighting that lend the rooms a classic atmosphere.
The Main Building, completed in 2018, houses rooms that have retro-modern-artistic designs, such as the Comfort Twin, Deluxe Family Triple, and other spacious accommodations ideal for families or large groups. The bathing facilities are also located in the Main Building, so be sure to book a room in this area if you are a hot springs enthusiast.
After a cold day exploring Otaru’s winter delights, return to your cozy room and let the hypnotic ambience of the city’s nightscape guide you to sleep.
Cafe “SONIA COFFEE”
What better way is there to escape the chilly breeze than with a warm mug of coffee or tea? SONIA COFFEE, situated on the hotel’s first floor, shakes away winter’s grasp with its warm lighting, rich wooden furniture, and of course, delectable cafe menu. Tokumitsu Coffee, a renowned roaster from Sapporo, carefully selects and supervises the cafe’s coffee beans, and each order is freshly brewed using a French press to highlight the full flavor of the beans. To compliment the coffee—or tea, if you so choose—the eatery offers an indulgent collection of sweets, including gateau chocolat, classic French canelés, and silky gelato.
Two-day model course in Otaru
Day 1 – Enjoy history, culture, and gourmet delights
Morning
Start your day with a stroll around the Otaru Canal area, including the canal, Canal Park, and the Otaru Art Base.
Lunch
Enjoy local gourmet dishes at Sakaimachi Street Shopping District or Sushi Street—perfect for sampling fresh seafood bowls, sushi, sweets, and more.
Afternoon
Visit Kitaichi Glass for a workshop tour and hands-on experience.
Evening
Spend a quiet moment at Suitengu Shrine, where you can enjoy the evening scenery and add a spiritual touch to your city sightseeing.
Night
Have dinner at a local restaurant in Otaru and then, admire the canal’s night illumination. The gas-lit scenery is romantic and perfect for sharing with the important people in your life.
End the day with a relaxing soak in Hotel Sonia Otaru’s hot spring baths to warm yourself to the core.
Day 2 – Casual skiing & shopping
Morning
After a filling breakfast at Hotel Sonia Otaru, head to Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort, about a 15-minute drive from the city’s center.
Late Morning
Enjoy skiing, snowboarding (rentals and beginner lessons are available), or sledding. The gentle slopes are perfect for beginners and families, and even a short visit offers a highly satisfying experience.
Alternative plans for non-skiers (Morning of Day 2)
Tour glass workshops, visit cafes, explore the Otaru Art Base, or enjoy a winter stroll around Otaru’s photo spots.
Afterwards, ride the Tenguyama Ropeway to the Tenguyama Observation Deck and enjoy breathtaking views of the encircling scenery. No skiing required!
Lunch
Have a light meal while enjoying the view on Mt. Tengu or return to the city for a local lunch.
Afternoon
Spend free time exploring the city and shopping for souvenirs, including glassware, sweets, and other local specialties.
Access to Otaru
Otaru Station is about a 45-minute train ride from Sapporo Station via the Hakodate Line and a 1.5-hour train ride from New Chitose Airport via the Rapid Airport Line. From Otaru Station, Hotel Sonia Otaru is a short eight-minute walk away. With major sightseeing spots within walking distance, the hotel is an ideal base for your Otaru adventure.
Experience Otaru during winter
Once winter touches this small port city, the fairytale sceneries, meaningful crafts, local gastronomy, and natural landscapes receive an added layer of allurement—featuring snow-accented visuals and enhanced indoor coziness. You will find that even the season’s chill cannot freeze Otaru’s heartwarming charm.
