Otaru, Hokkaidō

Otaru 小樽
—  City  —
Top Left: Otaru Canal Top Right: The Bank of Japan Otaru Museum Middle right 1: - Glass Works in Otaru Middle right 2: - Temiya old railway line Bottom: - Vista from Mount Tengu
Flag
Location of Otaru in Hokkaidō
Otaru
Coordinates: 43°11′N 141°0′E / 43.183°N 141°E / 43.183; 141Coordinates: 43°11′N 141°0′E / 43.183°N 141°E / 43.183; 141
Country	Japan
Region	Hokkaidō
Prefecture	Hokkaidō
Government
- Mayor	Yoshiharu Nakamatsu (since May 2011)
Area
- Total	243.13 km2 (93.9 sq mi)
Population (July 31, 2011)
- Total	131,706
- Density	541.71/km2 (1,403/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Symbols
- Tree	Shirakaba (Siberian Silver Birch)
- Flower	Azalea
- Bird	Aobato (Japanese Green Pigeon)
Phone number	0134-32-4111
Address	2-12-1 Hanazono, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido 047-8660
Website	City of Otaru

Otaru (小樽市, Otaru-shi^?) is a city and port in Shiribeshi, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination. Because it is a 25-minute drive from Sapporo, it has recently grown as a bedroom community.

As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 131,706 with 67,308 households and a population density of 541.71 persons per km². The total area is 243.13 km². Although it is the largest city in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, the subprefecture's capital is the more centrally-located Kutchan).

Geography

Otaru is a port town on the coast of the Sea of Japan in northern Shiribeshi Subprefecture. The southern portion of the city is characterized by the steep slopes of various mountains, notably Tenguyama; and the altitude of the land sharply drops from the mountains to the sea. The land available between the coast and mountains has been almost completely developed, and the developed part of the city on the mountain slopes is called Saka-no-machi, or "Hill town", including hills named Funamizaka (Boat-view Hill) and Jigokuzaka (Hell Hill).

Neighboring cities and towns

• Shiribeshi
  • Yoichi District: Yoichi, Akaigawa
• Ishikari
  • Sapporo (Teine-ku, Minami-ku), Ishikari

Climate

In the summer the weather can be hot and balmy, but it snows in winter from about November to March, and drifts of two to three metres are not uncommon.

Climate data for Otaru (1981-2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	−0.7 (30.7)	−0.1 (31.8)	3.7 (38.7)	10.8 (51.4)	16.4 (61.5)	20.1 (68.2)	23.7 (74.7)	25.6 (78.1)	21.9 (71.4)	15.7 (60.3)	8.1 (46.6)	1.7 (35.1)	12.24 (54.04)
Average low °C (°F)	−6.1 (21.0)	−5.8 (21.6)	−2.6 (27.3)	2.6 (36.7)	7.5 (45.5)	12.1 (53.8)	16.6 (61.9)	18.4 (65.1)	13.9 (57.0)	7.6 (45.7)	1.4 (34.5)	−3.7 (25.3)	5.16 (41.28)
Precipitation mm (inches)	142.3 (5.602)	105.6 (4.157)	86.2 (3.394)	57.4 (2.26)	56.1 (2.209)	46.3 (1.823)	79.3 (3.122)	117.7 (4.634)	125.6 (4.945)	130.3 (5.13)	146.8 (5.78)	141.4 (5.567)	1,235 (48.62)
Snowfall cm (inches)	194 (76.4)	156 (61.4)	107 (42.1)	15 (5.9)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.4)	45 (17.7)	156 (61.4)	674 (265.4)
% humidity	70	69	66	64	69	77	80	78	72	67	67	70	70.8
Avg. snowy days	29.4	25.5	22.3	6.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.8	13.6	28.0	125.7
Sunshine hours	66.2	78.1	129.8	176.4	200.6	184.0	164.2	171.6	164.5	145.9	82.4	63.4	1,627.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency

History

former Bank of Japan Otaru Branch

The city was an Ainu habitation, and the name "Otaru" is recognised as being of Ainu origin, possibly meaning "River running through the sandy beach". The very small remaining part of the Temiya Cave contains carvings from the Zoku-Jōmon period of Ainu history, around A.D. 400. Otaru was recognised as a village by the bakufu in 1865, and in 1880 the first railway line in Hokkaido was opened with daily service between Otaru and Sapporo.

The city flourished well as the financial and business center in Hokkaido as well as as the trade port with Japanese ruled southern Sakhalin until 1920s. Otaru was redesignated as a city on August 1, 1922.

On December 26, 1924, a freight train loaded with 600 cases of dynamite exploded in Temiya Station, damaging the warehouse, the harbour facilities and the surrounding area. Local officials stated that at least 94 were killed and 200 injured in this disaster.

Since 1950s, as the coal industry around the city went into a decline, the status of economic hub shifted to Sapporo from Otaru.

Notable attractions

Otaru Canal at night

A canal adorned with Victorian-style street lamps runs through Otaru. The city attracts a large number of Japanese tourists as well as Russian visitors.

A famous attraction on the west side of the city is Nishin Goten (herring mansion). This large wooden building, built in 1897, was once the house of Hunkumatsu Tanakaa, a magnate of the herring fishing industry. It was originally built in nearby Tomari village and moved from there in 1958. Visitors can clearly see the difference between the squalid conditions of the first floor sleeping quarters of 120 workers and the ground floor luxury of the magnate’s rooms.

Otaru is well known for its beer, and Otaru Beer, next to the canal, is a popular restaurant with a medieval theme. Otaru is also known for the freshness of its sushi. The town also has substantial shopping arcades and bazaars, but fewer than nearby Sapporo.

Otaru's prominent industries are arts and crafts, such as studio glass and musical boxes.

Tenguyama

Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort

Otaru is an important port for Sapporo, and part of this hilly city is on the lower slopes of Tenguyama, a good place for skiing and other winter sports and one that is accessible via Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway.

Sister cities

• Nakhodka, Russia
• Dunedin, New Zealand

See also

• Otaru Station
• Otaru University of Commerce
• Rising Sun Rock Festival

External links

Media related to Otaru, Hokkaido at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)
• Japan National Tourist Organization's Otaru page (English)