OTARU on the Internet

Most of the tourists attractions are within easy access of the city centre by bus or on foot in Otaru.
One-day Pass of Hokkaido Chuo Bus is handy and economical to get around the city. You can use this pass to take the ¥200-fare rate buses within Otaru as many times as you like.

From New Chitose Airport
Take JR Hokkaido's "Rapid Airport Train" (快速エアポート) for Otaru. The services are available every 30 minuets by day. It takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes from New Chitose Airport to Otaru. Fare (one way): ¥1,740 (New Chitose Airport - Otaru)

Most of the popular tourist spots are accessible by route bus.

The bus fare for a ride is ¥200 in most lines. Put ¥200 in the fare box beside the driver when you get off.

If you have no appropriate amount of coins, you can exchange a ¥1,000 note or a ¥500 coin by putting it into the slot of the fare box to get small change.

Lingering winter has gone, and Hokkaido's cherry blossoms season is drawing near. There are a few popular cherry blossoms viewing spots in Otaru. One of them is the garden of Kourakuen along Yuragi Street that leads to Asarigawa Hot Springs. Cherry blossoms blooming in profusion in the garden of about 66,000sqm delight the eyes of visitors during the season every year.

Kourakuen is a well-known Ryokan that has rooms with private open-air hot spring bath. This Ryokan enjoys having many overseas guests mainly from other Asian countries as well as the Japanese. Kourakuen is putting out solid information in English on their web site for the convenience of overseas people.

K.Shirane, GLOTAL staff, interviewed Mr. Yukihiro Yoneyama, the Managing Director of this exquisite Ryokan with a huge Japanese Garden. (The interview was held on April 10, 2006)

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.

Morinoki, started business in 1999, can probably be the first inn that names with the prefix Backpackers' in Japan. This backpackers hostel has been popular among overseas tourists as well as the Japanese with its comfortable atmosphere and reasonable price system.

Kenji Shirane of GLOTAL interviewed Masaki Harada, the proprietor of Morinoki, on February 18, 2006.