[Sakaimachidori Shopping Street Marchen Crossroads in Otaru] One of Most Popular Tourist Attractions in Otaru

Otaru Canal

Otaru Canal (小樽運河) is a canal in the center of Otaru city, and is located in the east part of the Otaru Station, and the distance between the Otaru Canal and the station is about 700 m. It takes about 10 minutes through Chuo Street (中央通り) on foot. It is well-known as one of most famous tourist attractions in the Otaru, and is an established spot that almost all 8 million tourists that visit the otaru go to see. At Ironai area once called Northern Wall Street (北のウォール街) beside the canal, historical buildings of the Bank of Japan (日本銀行), Former Nippon Yusen (旧日本郵船), Former Mitsubishi Bank (旧三菱銀行), Former Yasuda Bank (旧安田銀行) and Former Hokkaido Takushoku Bank (旧北海道拓殖銀行) make poeple feel a splendid atmosphere of Meiji period. The stone canal goes well with the Ironai area, and the tourists feel Taisho Roman (大正浪漫). Admission free. There are toll parking lots around here. Read More

OTARU

Otaru (小樽) that 120,000 people live is the 9th largest port city in Hokkaido, and is located in the located in the northwestern part of Sapporo city. It takes about 30 minutes from the Sapporo to the Otaru by a train. The Otaru is one of most popular tourist cities in the Hokkaido, and about 8 million people visit here. It is also well-known as a city with a lot of slopes, and there are 30 slopes with its name, so the Otaru has a lot of slope lands, and has a lot of narrow roads. It is famous as a city with a lot of sushi restaurants, too, and more than 100 sushi restaurants open their businesses. Fresh seafood caught in the Sea of Japan facing the Otaru or caought in various places of the Hokkaido can be enjoyed. As for a climate, the Otaru has calm climate, it is cold in a summer, and it snow hard. The Otaru was called an inaccessible land in the old days because all transportation facilities paralyzed by a heavy snow. Read More

Marchen Crossroads

A official name of the Marchen Crossroads, 5 other forked roads, is "Sakaimachi Crossroads (堺町交差点)". I tried searching why it was called "Marchen Crossroads" on the internet, but I did not know. I guess the stone pavement road and stone buildings are associated with fairy tales of Medieval Germany for Otaru people. I think it is a cathy name. Joyato (常夜灯 * a light that lit all through the night.) and a steam clock (蒸気時計) are built around the Marchen Crossroads, and those are one of most famous objects of the Marchen Crossroads. The Minami-Otaru Station is most nearest station to the Marchen Crossroads.

Marchen Crossroads Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Marchen Crossroads

LeTao Head Office

Otaru Western Pastry Store LeTAO (小樽洋菓子舗ルタオ) is a popular pastry store based in Otaru city, and is run by KCC corp. (株式会社ケイシイシイ) opened in 1996. Kotobuki Spirits corp. (寿スピリッツ株式会社), a famous confectionery company in Tottori prefecture, is a parent company. Most of people think that the origin of the Letao inverts words of Otaru (オタル) in Japanese, but it is wrong. It is an initial "Dear tower of Otaru in French (Le Tour Amitie Otaru)". That is unexpected. Their branches open a business in the Otaru, Sapporo, Chitose and New Chitose Airport, and they serve cakes, baked confectioneries and breads. Read More

Pathos

LeTao Head Office (ルタオ本店) is built along Sakaimachidori Shopping Street (堺町通り), and LeTAO PATHOS, Nouvelle Vague LeTAO Chocolatier, Fromage Danish DANI LeTAO and LeTAO PLUS are along the street. My visited place is the LeTAO PATHOS. A souvenir shop and a shop are on the 1st floor, and a restaurant is on the 2nd floor. A place for custmers to enjoy foods and drinks is provided on the 1st floor. Read More