Otaru Craft Beer

"Otaru craft beer" brewery stands along the canal.

It takes about 15 minutes by walk from JR Otaru station.

I visited there with my coworkers and enjoyed many kinds of craft beer.

When I came in the restaurant of Otaru beer, I felt like I was in foreign country.

Otaru craft beer is made in German process and their restaurant imaged Germany.

Not only beer, but also foods such as sausages, roasted pork, pizza, pasta. paella ...etc, were amazing!!

I got coasters (above picture), put them together, they become a picture !

Their products can be purchased at lots of places in Otaru city.

Would you like to enjoy local taste ??

Hello, Lotus Leave's Ice again!

Only on quite freezing day, we can see fantastic canal.

We happened to see "Hasuha Gori" on the surface of canal.

"Hasuha" means leave of lotus and "Gori" means ice.

So, it means the ice which is shaped like leave of lotus.

It's rarely to appear.

We were lucky !!

Easy way to know old Otaru

Do you know an easy way to know old Otaru?

You can find the answer at Canal Plaza.

After the Xmas event, Canal Plaza got a beautiful booth.

This is the answer, look at this picture...⇊

Got it?

This is a corner of Canal Plaza, 15 pictures are displayed on its wall.

These pictures were presented by a photographer, Mr. Okada.

He has been taking Otaru's pictures from every angle since a few decades ago.

His photo exhibition was held at Canal Plaza before, and it was quite popular among many visitors.

Lots of local people yearned after their old days with these pictures.

I think that old pictures are interesting for us who don't know the old Otaru as well.

We can find a lot of things such as old fashion, buildings, streets, old letter's signboard...etc.

If you are interested in old pictures, how about get them?

You can purchase them at Canal Plaza too.

There is a cafe named "1 banko cafe" which sells original pictures for 1,500yen each⇊

It's must be fun to just choose your favorite one from all kinds of pictures.

Snowy everyday

It has been snowing this winter and the average maximum temperature is around minus 2 degrees.

Otaru tourism association's staffs clear away snow around Canal Plaza and our office everyday.

Courtyard of Canal Plaza

Snow wall stands along our office on sidewalk.

Don't forget to wear warm jacket, groves, scarf and knit cap, when you visit Otaru!!

Snow play ground

This is one of my work place, Canal Plaza. (Located just 10 minutes from JR Otaru station.)

After you enter the Canal Plaza, a big door will catch your eyes

and, this is one of my favorite place of Canal Plaza.

Look at the behind of the door ↓↓

There is a large courtyard.

This courtyard is surrounded by stone warehouses.

About 100 years ago, warehouse staff kept cargoes at this courtyard once, and then they put them into each warehouses.

It was best place to block outside eyes from customer's cargoes.

Recently, staffs of Otaru Tourism Association are planning to make something interesting here for visitors.

This courtyard is deeply covered with snow every year, so we wanna make Kamakura(Snow hut), snow slide and so on, like play ground.

What would you like to make?

Japanese New Year 2012

A happy new year !!

How's your new year's day?

I spent with my family and have eaten a lot... must have put on weight...:

Anyway,

This is the Year of Dragon in Chinese astrology.

Japanese people know their animal symbols of their birth year and celebrate the new year with the animal symbol every year.

For example, we draw the animal symbol on new year's greeting cards with message and doll of animal symbol is displayed in our house.

You can find lots of animal symbol's products in Japan around new year's day.

Otaru is famous for Glass, so we can see many kinds of glass work of animal symbol as well.

I took a above picture at Canal Plaza.

It's Glass Dragon. Cool, isn't it?

Other products...↓↓

Would you like to celebrate the new year in Japanese style??

Countdown events for New Year

There are some great opportunities for the countdown party to New year in Otaru.

I'll introduce you them today.

With delicious local beer!

【Countdown 2012】

Time: 2011/Dec.31. 8pm ~ 2012/Jan.1. 5pm

Place: Otaru-soko No.1 (Otaru's local beer brewery)

Access: 15 minutes walk from JR Otaru station.

★This brewery is located along the Otaru canal, which has good restaurant with stage for concerts too. Dance and music shows will be held from 8pm. They sell advance eat & drink ticket for 2,000yen. (Face value is 2,500yen)

Website: http://otarubeer.com/jp/

With delicious Japanese sake!

【Tanaka Sake brewery "Yuku sake Kuru sake 2012"】

Time: 2011/Dec.31. 11pm ~ 2012/Jan.1. 2am

Place: Tanaka Sake brewery Kikkogura branch

Access: 40 minutes walk from JR Otaru station. 15 minutes walk from Minami Otaru station.

There is no bus around this time.

Taxi...from Otaru station, 10minutes.

from Minami Otaru station, 5minutes.

★They offer first Japanese sake of the year. You can enjoy "Herring soba (noodle)", rice cake and so on.

Website: http://www.tanakashuzo.com/

See the first sunrise of the year!

【Mt.Tengu Rope way】

Time: Run from 2012/Jan.1. 6:30am

Place: Mountaintop of Mt. Tengu

Access: Special bus runs for the first sunrise from Chuo-bus Otaru station terminal. It takes about 20minutes to the base of Mt. Tengu.

Bus Timetable... 6:30, 6:36, 6:42, 6:48, 6:54, 7:00, 7:06, 7:12, 7:18, 7:24, 7:30, 7:36, 7:42, 7:48, 7:54, 8:00, 8:12, 8:24, 8:36, 8:48

★They provide free hot soup with rice cake from 7am, limited for 100 visitors.

Website: http://www.cks.chuo-bus.co.jp/tenguyama/

Otaru is quite cold place but would you like to enjoy a great new year in Otaru?

Thank you for your reading my blog this year.

I will do my best more for this blog next year.

I wish you a bright and successful New Year :)