Free Admission ~Nov 3 Culture Day~

Hello, how are you??
Sorry for not posting for long time :-P
Today, I'll let you know MUST-VISIT facilities on NOVEMBER 3rd.
If you are going to visit Otaru on November 3rd, don't forget this information :)
Why I'm hanging up about Nov 3 is because the day is national holiday, Culture day in Japan.
You can enter following cultural facilities FOR FREE in Otaru.

◆Otaru Museum
(displays about the oldest railway in Hokkaido)
 Open... 9:30am ~ 5pm
 Close... Tuesday and New year holidays
 Fee... 300yen → FREE on Culture day
 Access... 30 minutes walk from JR Otaru station. Or take stroller's bus "C" from Chuo-bus Otaru station terminal. Gate # 4. Required about 14 minutes by bus.

◆Otaru Museum Otaru canal annex
(displays about Otaru's history and nature)
 Open... 9:30an ~ 5pm
 Close... New year holidays
 Fee... 300yen → FREE on Culture day
 Access... 15 minutes walk from JR Otaru station.


◆Otaru city Museum of Art
 Open... 9:30am ~ 5pm
 Close... Monday and next day of public holiday
 Fee... 300yen → FREE on Culture day
 Access... 10 minutes walk from JR Otaru station.

◆Otaru Literary Museum
 Open... 9:30am ~ 5pm
 Close... Monday and next day of  public holiday
 Fee... 300yen → FREE on Culture day
 Access... 10 minutes walk from JR Otaru station. Located next to Otaru city Museum of Art.

◆Former Otaru branch of Nihon Yusen Co.
 Open... 9:30am ~ 5pm
 Close... Tuesday and New year holidays.
 Fee... 300yen → FREE on Culture day
 Access... About 25 minutes walk from JR Otaru station.  Or take local bus from Chuo-bus Otaru station terminal. Bus # 10 or 11, get off at "Nishikimachi (錦町)".

◆Temiya Cavern Preservation Center
 Open...  9:30am ~ 5pm
 Close... Tuesday and winter (Nov 4 - Apr 28)
 Fee... 100yen → FREE on Culture day
 Access... Same as Otaru Museum.

If you can't find these locations, please feel free to ask tourist information center ★

Basic Tourist Information 4 ~ Big three of Otaru ~

Talking of the big three of Otaru tourism is, "Sushi", "Orgel"(Music box) and "Glass products".

Sushi

Nowadays, there are more than 100 sushi restaurants in Otaru. Otaru faces the sea of Japan, so we can enjoy fresh seafood easily, and Otaru's amazing sushi is made from a wealth of seafood by sushi chefs.
←↓These images are "Shikama"(しかま) sushi restaurant's.

Otaru has unique named street, "Sushiya-dori street". It's located just in 10 minutes walk from JR Otaru station. 25 years ago, only five sushi restaurants(Masa-zushi 政寿司, Machino まちの, Nihonbashi 日本橋, Yamatoya 大和家 and Shikama　しかま) were on this street but now, about 20 sushi restaurants are in business on this street.

Also you can get sushi making lesson. Professional sushi chefs teach you how to make sushi.

 

Orgel(Music box)
 

Originally, music box has been created in Switzerland since over 200 years ago. The reason for that music box rooted in Otaru, is it suits with Otaru's retro atmosphere.

Of course you can try making music box as well. These products in this image are Music box museum's → 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glass

 

You can find glass shops everywhere in Otaru, I'm often asked like "Why glass products are so famous in Otaru?" by visitors. Because... Otaru prospered by herring fishery. At that time, glass floating buoys were used for fishing net. That's why, glass industry has been developed together. Still now various glass products can be purchased in Otaru city. In addition, many glass studios prepare lots of menus for glass making experience. Accessory, mug, vase and so on. Would you like to try them?

 

 

 

These shops and restaurants are located in walkable distance from JR Otaru station. If you visit our tourist information centers, we can recommend you various menus of making music box and glass. Please feel free to ask us :)



Monthly Event Information ~'12 Oct~

Hello, how are ya?
I've got an event information for this month.
I translated it so, I'll post about it today.

*******Continuing Events*******

【Otaru Lighting up Strolling Tour】

Every Tuesday and Friday until October

Schedule... 6 pm~ required about 45 minutes

Place... Former Temiya railway Ironai station

Access... 10 minutes walk from JR Otaru station

★Tour around illuminated historical buildings with guides. Depart Ironai station and break up at Otaru canal. Unnecessary for reservation. Free of charge.

 

【Steam Locomotive Niseko】

Every Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays of Sep 15 ~ Nov 4

Fare... Return ticket for Sapporo ~ Rankoshi (free area between Otaru Chikko and Rankoshi) 3,600 yen (fare 2,800 yen, reserved seat 800 yen) ※Child's fare is half price. Please inquire for other area's fare.

Timetable...

《To Rankoshi》 Sapporo 8:31 → Otaru (Arr 9:17) Dep 9:58 → Yoichi 10:32 → Niki 10:40 → Kozawa 11:16 → Kutchan (Arr 11:35) Dep 11:45 → Niseko 12:03 → Konbu 12:17 → Rankoshi (Arr 12:27) Dep 12:32 → Konbu 12:43 → Niseko 12:57 → Kutchan 13:16

《To Sapporo》 Niseko 15:40 →　Kutchan (Arr 15:59) Dep 16:18 → Kozawa 16:32 → Niki 17:07 → Yoichi 17:16 → Otaru (Arr 17:47) Dep 18:13 → Sapporo 18:59

JR Otaru station... +81 134 22 0771

************************************

【The 8th Yakon Festival】Oct 5 (Fri) to 8 (Mon)

Schedule... 10am ~ 6pm (Oct 5, 2pm ~)

Place... Tanaka Sake Brewery Head Store, Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura branch

Access... To head store, 15 minutes walk from JR Otaru station,

To Kikkogura branch, take strolling bus B from Chuo-bus Otaru station terminal, and get off at Kikkogura sake museum. Takes about 15 minutes.

★They sell "Yakon" which was harvested in Shiribeshi area. Yakon is healthy vegetable looks like sweet potato, its taste and texture are similar with pear. Also they sell fresh vegetables, fruits and juice.

【Shukutsu Fish Fair】Oct 6 (Sat)

Schedule... 10am ~ 3pm

Place... Ibarakike Nakadebaribanya (Old fishermen's house)

Access... Take a bus bound for Otaru Aquarium from JR Otaru station bus terminal and get off at "Shukutsu Gyokou"(祝津漁港). Bus # 10 or 11, Gate # 3. Takes 15-20min.

★This is the final month of Shukutsu Fish Fair this year which has been held every month since July. The theme of October is "Abalone and Angler".

Special lunch meal of Oct is "Steamed rice with abalone", angler soup, marinated liver of anger, and boiled young scallop in soy sauce. (Limited 100 meals for 1,000 yen each. Sold from 11am)

In addition, you can purchase raw scallop and raw abalone, and also eat them after grilling on site.

【Tengu Day】Oct 6 (Sat) ~ 8 (Mon)

Place... Mt.Tengu ropeway, Top of Mt.Tengu

Access... Take a bus from JR Otaru station bus terminal. Bus # 9, Gate # 3. Takes about 20min.

★Some events will be held for kids. Kids who have got ropeway's return ticket can get invitation for "Kids Mochi(rice cake) pounding". Besides that, home-grown fresh vegetables and fruits will be sold on the spot. Combined ticket, which includes return ticket for ropeway and meal ticket (worth of 800yen) of restaurant Tengu, can be purchased. (Adult 1,500yen, Child 1,200yen.)

【Onza nama Live Otaru 2012】Oct 7 (Sun)

Schedule... 2pm ~ 9pm

Place... Cafe, Bar, Pub and so on. About 16 venues.

Fee... free

★This is the music event which is planned and made by musicians and clubs,  106 music bands will join it. Common restaurants, cafes and bars change into clubs with live music. Regardless of musical genre, everybody can enjoy hot performance. Our tourist information centers have maps for this event. Please don't foeget to get them.

Website... http://onzanamalive.web.fc2.com/

【Otaru Wind ensemble 20th Regular Concert】Oct 13 (Sat)

Schedule... start 6:30 pm (open 6 pm)

Place... Otaru civic center great hall

Access... 20 min walk from JR Otaru station. Or, take a bus from JR Otaru station bus terminal. Bus # 9, Gate # 3, get off at "Shimin kaikan dori".

Admission... 500yen (Students under elementary school age are free.)

★This is a regular concert of wind orchestra composed of mainly working people in Otaru. This year's concert will mark their 20th anniversary. They're gonna play various songs such as "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Carmina Burana" and so on.

Please don't miss these events :)