Otaru Canal: A Stroll Through the Port Town of Glass and Music Boxes

A full-day course through Otaru, the port town that thrived as the "Wall Street of the North" from the Meiji through Showa periods. Start by strolling the Otaru Canal (小樽運河) in the morning with its gas lamps and stone warehouses, then visit the Old Bank of Japan Otaru Branch Financial Materials Museum (日本銀行旧小樽支店), designed by Tatsuno Kingo and others who also designed Tokyo Station, to experience the town's golden age. Spend the afternoon in retro Sakaimachi Street (堺町通り). At Kitaichi Glass No. 3 Building (北一硝子三号館), marvel at the glow of oil lamps and gleaming glass; at Otaru Music Box Hall Main Building (小樽オルゴール堂本館), be enchanted by the steam clock and gentle melodies. Finish with a treat of Double Fromage at Le TAO Main Store (ルタオ本店). Perfect for couples who love retro cityscapes, this is a sweet and nostalgic port town stroll.