Otaru This & That

There are a lot of old buildings including stone warehouses in Otaru, Hokkaido.

Otaru Park, familiar as the place of recreation and relaxation to the people of Otaru in Hokkaido is going to be redeveloped from next year.

The length of daylight is still long even though summer solstice passed more than a month ago.

In Hokkaido Otaru, the sun rises from the sea in summer.

The scene the sun emerges above the horizon is wonderful! If you can get up around 4:00, and weather permitting, you will be able to enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

The sun sets also in the sea at this time.

Otaru in Hokkaido is a historic city sometimes said as "Roofless Museum", which means that various cultural heritage including old buildings still exists in the city, and the whole of the city looks like an open-air museum.

The post and the fireplug may be one of the examples. The old-fashioned posts like in the photo are still in use, which is rare to see in other areas of Japan.

Noh is the Japanese classical play performed to Noh singing. It is performed on the special stage called "Nohgakudo" or Noh Theater. There is a strict standard on the style of the Noh Theater, and little difference can be seen among the Noh theaters all over Japan.

June is the rainy season in most areas of Japan. On the other hand, it is the best season of the year here in Hokkaido. The sweet breeze of early summer is quite a privilege for the people living here.

We often hear that the people from other areas of Japan praise the quality of Otaru's air and water, which is also the privilege for the residents.

"Otaru Beer" is micro-brewed beer produced from malt and hops and Otaru's quality water. It's been popular among both the locals and tourists since this beer was first brewed 11 years ago.

Spring that everyone was craving for has finally arrived here in Otaru Hokkaido. For the people living in the snowy land, spring is really an inspiring season.

Early cherry blossoms are at their best now, and you can see the lovely pink colors everywhere in the city. Temiya Park, the garden of Korakuen Inn, Otaru Park, Hiraiso Park are some of the popular cherry blossoms viewing spots, and if you miss the early cherry blossoms, you will be able to enjoy late-blooming cherry blossoms for another 2-3 weeks.

If you like archaeology, the following remains might interest you.

1. Oshoro Stone Circle
Oshoro Stone Circle in Otaru, Hokkaido is actually an oval of 33m x 22m. It is said that the circle was built about 3,500 years ago, in the latter Jomon period.

Backpackers' is a form of accommodation that is popular among those who enjoy economical trips, and like to meet people from all walks of life. However, there had been no accommodation of this style in Japan, except for youth hostels as a similar form until recent years.

Most tourists who visit Otaru in Hokkaido are busy day-trippers. They just look around a few major tourist-oriented spots in a few hours.

However, I guess that there are some who like to seek places off the beaten track instead of popular sightseeing spots.