There are many storehouses made of tuff that was abundantly obtainable as material for buildings in Otaru. They were built in the early 20th century when Otaru was most prosperous as a business center of Hokkaido.
Most buildings in those days were made of wood, and they were easily burnt down once they caught fire. Therefore, the merchants built fireproof storehouses to protect their valuables and commodities.
The images are some examples of those storehouses found in Wakamatsu and Nobuka areas near JR Minami Otaru Station.
They say that there are about 300 storehouses of this kind still remaining in Otaru. It is an evidence to show how Otaru’s prosperity was like.
