Otaru Style

2018/11/12

2018~2019 Otaru Snow Story

.OTARU SNOW STORY 雪の結晶

Nov. 1, 2018 (thu) ~ Feb. 17, 2019 (sun)

Special Events

Otaru Blue Canal

Nov. 1, 2018 (thu) ~ Feb. 7, 2019 (thu)

sunset ~ 10:30 pm

from Asakusa Bridge to Chuo Bridge

10,000 brilliant blue LED lights illuminate the Otaru canal.

Wine Glass Tower

Nov. 1, 2018 (thu) ~ Feb. 17, 2019 (sun)

Canal Plaza

3-meter tall tower using approximately 2,000 wine glasses.

Candle Bar

Nov. 1, 2018 (sat) ~ Jan. 26, 2019 (sat)

Every Saturday 7:00 pm ~ 10:00 pm

Canal Plaza

Enjoy drinks by candlelight.

Ukidama (Glass Float) Tree

Nov. 1, 2018 (thu) ~ Jan. 31, 2019 (thu)

4:00 pm ~ 12:00 am

Canal Plaza

3-meter tree made from 150 ukidamas, or glass floats.

Glass Art Gallery

Nov. 6, 2018 (tue) ~ Jan. 31, 2019 (thu)

JR Otaru Station

Beautiful glasswork by various Otaru glass galleries

Otaru Tourism Association

Otaru Snow Story

2018/11/11

Otaru Canal Cruise - Temporary Closure for Construction Work

Otaru Canal Cruise, popular for its 40-minute cruise down the famous canal, will temporarily close for construction work.

CLOSED

November 12 (Mon) ～ 14 (Wed)

Otaru Canal Cruise

2018/10/21

[Closure Notice Due to Renovation] Former Otaru Branch of Nippon Yusen Company

The Former Otaru Branch of Nippon Yusen Company, designated as an important cultural property, will close next month for an extensive renovation that is expected to last until spring 2022.

CLOSED

November 4, 2018 (Sun) ~ March 2022 (subject to change)

IMPORTANT CULTURAL ASSET

FORMER NIHON YUSEN COMPANY OTARU BRANCH

Designated March 12, 1969

Erected 1906 Construction: Two-story stone

This building was newly erected in 1906 as the Otaru Branch of the Nihon Yusen Company Incorporated. The design, at the time the latest Western-style stone architecture, was done by Shichijiro Satate, a Doctor of Engineering who graduated from the University of Technology. Soon after it was finished the conference to determine the national boundaries resulting from the peace settlement of the Russo-Japanese War was to be held in Otaru, and the representatives of both countries met here in the second floor meeting room and celebrated afterwards in the adjoining special guest room. The building became the property of the city in 1955 and it served as the Otaru City Museum until 1984 when restoration began and lasted until 1987, at which time the business offices meeting room and special guest room had once again regained their original condition.