Otaru’s proximity to the sea makes it the perfect place to taste fresh Hokkaido sushi. With over 100 sushi restaurants across the city, it’s no wonder Otaru is sometimes called the “City of Sushi”. Sushiya Dori (sushiya means “sushi shop”; dori means “street”) is a street lined with sushi restaurants on both sides, each offering its own selection of mouth-watering Hokkaido specialties: uni (sea urchin) Hokkai shrimp, and nishin (herring), to name but a few. If you’re feeling indecisive, a leisurely stroll along Otaru Sushiya Dori is a great way to do a little restaurant hopping. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of room in your stomach!

The Sensoji Temple is dedicated to the Kannon Bodhisattva (Avalokitesvara). According to legend, a statue of the Kannon was found in the Sumida River in 628 CE by two fishermen, the brothers Hinokuma Hamanari and Hinokuma Takenari. The chief of their village, Hajino Nakamoto, recognized the sanctity of the statue and enshrined it by remodeling his own house into a small temple in Asakusa so that the villagers could worship Kannon.