#OMO5 Otaru by Hoshino Resorts Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Snowy winter, come to Otaru for a romantic citywalk route recommendation!
After 7 years, I came to the romantic Otaru in winter again. What's different is that this time Otaru welcomed us with 70 cm thick snow. The dim and bright kerosene lamps tell the old story of Otaru glass, and the floating balls transform the Otaru Canal into a blue starry sky...
❄️🚶🏻♀️1、Otaru citywalk, explore the hidden wonders of Otaru all the way
If you come to Otaru in the snowy season, you must have a romantic Otaru citytwalk. This time we stayed at the Hoshino OMO5 Otaru Hotel. In the early morning, we followed the OMO Ranger for a walk on Sakaimachi Street, exploring the hidden surprises of Otaru!
The streets of Otaru are lined with historical buildings from the Meiji and Taisho eras, each full of storytelling. Following the guide, you will explore the authentic kelp shop, interesting historical stories, and arrive at the steam clock that jets on time! We also went to LeTAO PATHOS to eat the limited dessert, which can only be eaten by guests staying at OMO5 Otaru! Made with ingredients from Hokkaido ranch, it brings the romance of Otaru straight to the taste buds.
✅Recommended route: Former Mitsui Bank Otaru Branch—Taisho Whistle Hall—Otaru Romantic Museum—Rokkatei—Kitakaro—Letao—Steam Clock
🏠🌃2、OMO5 Otaru: Stay in a retro building and travel back in time!
If you want to maximize the romantic ceremony of Otaru, I recommend staying at OMO5 Otaru like us. The rich retro style is spread all over every corner, the oil lamps on the dining table, the old-fashioned antique music box music cabinet, the old bookcase with brass handles in the corridor, the wooden wall skirt, the mosaic floor... The retro South Pavilion was rebuilt on the basis of the old Otaru Chamber of Commerce and Industry built in 1933, still maintaining the style of the Meiji era. The connected North Pavilion is more modern and simple. Staying here is like traveling through time, and it also makes us feel the unique romance of Otaru.
If you live here, I recommend renting an Otaru music box and bringing it back to the room. Stay in a retro room and enjoy a peaceful sleep in the soothing music.
☕🌹3、Spanish and Hokkaido gourmet food, enjoy a feast with the oil lamp
Be sure to leave enough time to slowly taste the buffet breakfast and semi-buffet dinner, which combines Spanish and Hokkaido flavors, exquisite and rich. I especially like the dinner time, when the waiter dims the lights, and then lights the retro oil lamp of Otaru for each table. Accompanied by the flickering lights, taste the special herring Spanish seafood rice and pork barbecue of the port city Otaru, and pull the retro romance to the full. The Spanish omelette and Spanish fritters for breakfast are very classic. In addition, there is a 'Nantarumarket' section where you can taste local pickled kelp and herring, and taste local delicacies carefully.
I have to say that it is so suitable for friends who come to Hokkaido for skiing to live here. There are 4 ski resorts near Otaru. OMO5 Otaru has a professional ski drying room! You can also polish and maintain ski equipment, which is so considerate!
TechTricks101
Hokkaido｜Otaru city walk, taking the road less traveled
If you only come to Otaru once in your life, you must come when the snow is falling heavily. Even without heavy snowfall, the mud after the snow can let you appreciate the romance and beauty of Otaru. I have been to Otaru three times, and like most tourists, I have walked back and forth countless times on the city walk route extending from Otaru Station, so for my fourth trip to Otaru, I decided to take an unusual route.
⭐ Stay:
This time in Otaru, I stayed at OMO5 Otaru under the Hoshino Group, which opened on January 7, 2022. The hotel is 750 meters from Otaru Station, a ten-minute walk. The unique features of OMO5 Otaru perfectly interpret the style of this port city. The retro-style decoration in the hotel gives people a feeling of traveling back to the Taisho era. The area where the hotel is located is known as the "Northern Wall Street", with many historical buildings, and it is very convenient to go anywhere from the hotel. OMO5 Otaru consists of two buildings, the South Pavilion renovated from the "Old Otaru Chamber of Commerce and Industry" designated by Otaru City, and the North Pavilion that pursues functionality and design. In the South Pavilion, the stairs used by the Old Otaru Chamber of Commerce and Industry are preserved as they were, and cabinets and dressing tables are placed in the museum as interior decorations. In the OMO base of the North Pavilion, fire hydrants and keys used by the Old Otaru Chamber of Commerce and Industry are used as decorations.
⭐ Eat:
The "OMO Cafe & Dining" renovated from the large conference room of the Old Otaru Chamber of Commerce and Industry is located on the 3rd floor of the South Pavilion of the hotel, offering a variety of dishes improved from Spanish cuisine. The inspiration comes from the Spanish travel culture of staying in historical buildings and Spanish cuisine featuring seafood. For dinner, it is recommended to use the Spanish seafood rice made from herring, which symbolizes the port town of Otaru. This dish was developed in cooperation with locals, allowing people to rediscover the charm of herring, which has a low consumption. Breakfast is the classic Spanish cuisine - Churros and Spanish potato omelette, cooked on the spot. The cafe and bar can also be used as a free rest area during business hours.
⭐ Play:
Friends who have stayed at the Hoshino Group's OMO series hotels know that in order for guests to better understand the culture of the city and the hotel, they have launched OMO Ranger. Through their understanding of the city, they take you to discover the most essence of travel experience in the city from a unique perspective.
After having a classic Spanish breakfast at OMO5 Otaru in the morning, you can first walk to Otaru Station (if you haven't visited Otaru Station when you arrive). Otaru Station has a strong retro style, especially the tungsten filament lamp on the roof of the station hall, which makes you return to the Taisho and Meiji eras in a second. The platform of Otaru Station and the outside of the station can take retro-style photos with a strong atmosphere.
If you are tired of playing at Otaru Station, you can eat a bowl of seafood rice at the Triangle Market next to the station. There are also king crabs sold in the market. If you have enough money, you can taste it.
After coming out of the Triangle Market, head to Otaru Canal, about a 15-minute walk. The ancient buildings along the way are all 110 years old, belonging to the Taisho and Meiji era buildings, you can walk and watch and take pictures and understand. Otaru Canal is the main scene of the movie "Love Letter", and you can become Fujii Shu in a minute when it snows heavily. There are warm boats running in the Otaru Canal (Otaru Canal is a stove cruise, the hotel can book.), you can sit on the boat to enjoy the scenery on both sides of the canal. Of course, the rickshaw driver at the intersection is also a good choice for you. If your Japanese is good, chat with the driver, maybe you can receive a different Otaru story.
Hokkaido's desserts are very famous, so when you come to Otaru, you naturally can't miss the LeTAO×OMO co-branded dessert - Awakening Cheesecake Parfait. Even if you have had breakfast, you can't resist the temptation of dessert. Only for hotel guests, limited to 40 servings per day.
At night, you can choose a music box you like in the hotel's music box museum to accompany you to sleep in the beautiful melody.
This day, there is food and drink, shopping and play, and music accompanies you at night. Even in your dreams, you will be sweetened. Hoshino Resort's OMO5 Otaru
Foodie Frenzy
This winter, my retro and exquisite trip to Otaru
Old times are always so warm, especially in the winter of Otaru.
🏨The OMO5 Otaru where I stayed is based on the concept of 'Retro Port City', promoting the little-known history, culture and creative gourmet of Otaru. The hotel is divided into south and north buildings. The south building is a historical building built in 1933, which was renovated from the old Otaru Chamber of Commerce. The north building is relatively modern, with both functionality and aesthetic design. The hotel displays a lot of nostalgic furniture and office supplies retained by the Chamber of Commerce, with a strong old-fashioned flavor.
🍴For the buffet breakfast, be sure to reserve more than an hour to enjoy it slowly. The style of northern Spain plus the flavor of Hokkaido is very rich. I asked the hotel staff, why did you choose to make Spanish food? She said because the climate of northern Spain and Hokkaido are somewhat similar, both are coastal and colder in winter.
☕️There is a special area for breakfast from the 'South Otaru Market' frequented by local citizens. Pickled kelp and herring are very representative local specialties.
🎿There are four ski resorts near Otaru. The hotel is specially equipped with a ski drying room. Skis do not need to be brought back to the room, they can be stored here, and free self-maintenance is available.
📷Follow the OMO Rangerde for a city walk, this is a free service of the hotel. The guide is a student from Fangshan, Beijing, which is quite friendly! He knows all the hidden wonders on this road.
Which house has rails... Why some roofs are painted with clocks but no hands... Which historical building has produced celebrities... What time does the steam clock report... Whose kelp is the most authentic...
🍨He recommended us to go to LeTAO PATHOS for a special limited dessert, which can only be eaten by guests staying at OMO5 Otaru. In addition to fresh fruits and cereal crisps, it also uses fresh cream and mascarpone cheese made from local ranches. Two kinds of local small berries that are very cold-resistant, wild cherry plum aronia+blue indigo fruit Haskap made into parfait and jam, these two kinds of fruits are super super antioxidant. After eating this cup, it's full of vitality!