A canal town lined with stone warehouses
| From Tomakomai Station | By car about 1 h 30 min (about 103 km by road) Estimated from road map data. Traffic lights, congestion and winter roads can make it take longer. |
|---|---|
| Area | Otaru, Niseko & Shakotan |
| Our photos | 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2025 |
| Map | Route from Tomakomai Station / Open map |
What is Otaru Canal like?
Otaru Canal was completed in the Taisho era (1912–1926). The view of stone warehouses lined up along the canal is the most famous scenery of Otaru. In the evening, the gas lamps are lit, and the mood of the streets changes.
Around the canal there are many shops selling glass crafts and music boxes, sushi restaurants and more.
Getting there from Tomakomai and travel time
From JR Tomakomai Station, it takes about 1 h 30 min by car. The distance is about 103 km by road.
Travel times are estimates based on the road distance from map data (OpenStreetMap), assuming an average speed of about 55 km/h (about 70 km/h for routes longer than 40 km). Traffic lights, traffic jams and winter road conditions can make the trip longer. Please check the latest road information before you go.
How people living in Tomakomai can enjoy it
It is a sightseeing spot you can visit on a day trip from Tomakomai via Sapporo. Our president visited many times from 2011 to 2025 and has recorded how it looks in each season.
Our photo record
Our president visited 8 times between January 2011 and May 2025 and recorded about 662 photos.
This page was machine-translated. The Japanese original prevails.
Photos: Banana House Inc. (taken by our president). Do not reuse without permission.
Our photo records and timestamp certificates
The 11 photos in this article were taken on site by our president. We list the SHA-256 hashes of the published files and have them signed by timestamp authorities (DateSealed, DigiCert, Sectigo)(First certified: 2026-11-03 12:40 JST). A signature shows that the same file existed before that time; it does not prove the date the photo was taken.
You can check the signature and hash of each photo from its timestamp certificate. To see whether a photo you saved matches our records, use the photo timestamp verification page (Japanese) .
Frequently asked questions
When was Otaru Canal completed?
It was completed in the Taisho era (1923).
Nearby spots
- Jozankei and Nakayama Pass (about 29 km in a straight line / from Tomakomai Station about 1 h 10 min)
- Odori Park and central Sapporo (about 32 km in a straight line / from Tomakomai Station about 55 min)
- Mt. Yotei and Kyogoku Fukidashi Park (about 39 km in a straight line / from Tomakomai Station about 1 h 15 min)
Looking for a home or selling in Tomakomai?
“Lake Shikotsu or Noboribetsu on weekends”, “I want to live near the airport”: we suggest areas that fit the way you want to live. We also help with selling and vacant houses.
Banana House Inc., 1-1-1 Honkocho, Tomakomai. We never use pushy sales. Please write in English or Japanese.