Otaru Japan is a seaside town and port on the southwest coast of Hokkaido, 35km northwest of
Sapporo. It’s a nice town to visit for a day trip en route to or from
Niseko, or you can use Otaru as a base to visit various Hokkaido ski resorts.
Pros and Cons of Otaru Hokkaido
Pros
- Otaru provides a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the real Japan, away from the touristy “resortification” that you find at some of the Hokkaido ski resorts.
- The price for Otaru accommodation is significantly less than what you’d find at Kiroro.
- There are various Hokkaido ski resorts close to Otaru.
Cons
- If you stay in Otaru Japan, a daily commute is required to get to the nearby ski resorts.
Otaru Ski Resorts
The
Otaru Tenguyama ski area on Tengu-yama is only 3km from central Otaru. It’s a small ski area with only 6 runs that are mostly serviced by a ropeway as well as 2 little chair lifts. The top elevation is only 532 metres, so even though the slopes are mostly northeast facing, the ski area is ideal for storm riding and thankfully competition for freshies is negligible.
Of similar ilk is the
Asari Ski Resort at Asarigawa Onsen which is only 9km southeast of the town of Otaru. If you’ve got a car, Asari is only a 15 to 20 minute drive from Otaru. Otherwise there are regular buses from the JR Otaru train station that take 30 minutes. Like Otaru Tenguyama, Asari ski resort is good for a day trip to ski the solitary off-piste and sidecountry areas. Asari is also at low elevation so it’s good for really windy days when some of the lifts at Kiroro are closed.
Kiroro Ski Resort is an upscale resort that’s 28km from Otaru. It's possible (albeit rather clunky) to get a bus between Otaru train station and Kiroro each day, or self-driving will make it particularly easy to get to there.
Sapporo Kokusai is a 23km drive southeast of Otaru. Kokusai receives massive amounts of snow, and even though the slopes are crowded with lots of beginners, the sidecountry areas tend to offer some fresh tracks.
Sapporo Teine is 29km southeast of Otaru and like its Sapporo counterpart it is good for beginners, and it also features some steep tree skiing.
Niseko needs no introduction! The very high profile Niseko is 68km to the southwest. If you’re staying in Niseko and want a day trip to Otaru,
Limousine Sightseeing can take you there, or it’s a 1:20 hour train between Kutchan and Otaru. Or
Moon Transfers (use drop down menu) provide private transfers between Otaru and Niseko.
Getting to Otaru
If you don’t have your own wheels or you’re not on a
multi-resort tour, it’s easy enough to catch a train from the New Chitose Airport or Sapporo City to Otaru. See
Hyperdia for train timetables and fares.
Or
Moon Transfers (use drop down menu) provide private transfers between the New Chitose Airport and Otaru.
Otaru Hotels
Otaru accommodation provides very good value for money. The Otaru hotels include large western style hotels and upscale Japanese ryokans, and there are also dormitory backpackers if you are travelling on a shoestring.
The
Dormy Inn Premium is an Otaru hotel that is very nice, yet inexpensive, and it's located only one minute walk from the Otaru train station.
The
Grand Park Otaru is a beautiful 4-star hotel which is located right on the water with views up and down the coast from one side, and views of the hills you'll be skiing on the side of the hotel. Below the hotel is a shopping centre and eateries. This Otaru hotel is surprisingly inexpensive considering the quality on offer.
Otaru Hotels Listings
Activities
It’s novel to see snow at sea level in Otaru, but it’s also nice to look at the historic canals, wander along the old Sakaimachi Street, and to check out the glass crafts, the wacky Japanese shops, the beer brewery, and the seafood market. Of course, there is plenty of fresh seafood to eat as well. Beyond the pretty Snow Light Path Festival held in February, there aren’t a huge number of other tourist attractions, but it’s a nice town to indulge in some Japanese culture.