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??