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A four-hour private walk with a government-licensed guide, choosing two or three stops such as the canal, the old bank district, Sakaimachi, the sake brewery or Tenguyama.
1 / 4Photo: tour operator, via Viator
First-time visitors on a half-day who want Otaru's history told as they walk.
Fares, entrance fees and lunch are extra, and the rating is a little lower than the six-hour version's. Check the meeting area covers the port, and remember the canal and Sakaimachi are free to walk alone.
Guide languages: English, Japanese. Cancellation: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Run by Japan Guide Agency.
Our own guides to the stops — so you know what you are booking before you book it.
~1hFinished in 1923 on reclaimed land so barges could unload straight into the warehouses.
Our guide to it →
~2hA kilometre of former merchant houses now holding glassworks, music-box makers and more soft-serve than any street needs.
Our guide to it →
~1.5hWhen the herring were running, Otaru was the financial centre of Hokkaido and Nichigin-dori held branch after branch in cut stone.
Our guide to it →Booked through Viator (a Tripadvisor company). There is rarely a tour desk at the pier, so book before you sail.
We may earn a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend — the “think twice” note above is there on purpose.
A four-hour private walk with a government-licensed guide, choosing two or three stops such as the canal, the old bank district, Sakaimachi, the sake brewery or Tenguyama. Best for: First-time visitors on a half-day who want Otaru's history told as they walk.
About 6 hours. The tour runs 4 hr; add half an hour to get off the ship and keep the hour before all-aboard free.
The operator's policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Fares, entrance fees and lunch are extra, and the rating is a little lower than the six-hour version's. Check the meeting area covers the port, and remember the canal and Sakaimachi are free to walk alone.
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4.9★ · 27 reviewsA six-hour private day on foot with a government-licensed guide, choosing three or four stops such as the canal, the old bank buildings, Sakaimachi, the sake brewery or Tenguyama.
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