Otaru Mountain & Market by Train
1 Day Hiking Tour
Guided day tour from Sapporofrom
An active and engaging one day tour from Sapporo to explore Otaru from its mountain to the seafood market. Get a taste of local life and the bounty of the sea.
We are no longer taking bookings for this tour
Our team at Adventure Hokkaido is still small and, due to high demand for tours, our guides have little availability for the foreseeable future.
For this reason, we have decided to stop offering day tours for the time being and focus our energy on our Multi-day Guided Tours. As our team grows, we hope to offer day tours again in the future.
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Tour Duration
1 Day -
Minimum Travellers
4 People -
Accommodation
Day trip -
Tour Starts
Sapporo -
Included Meals
1 Lunch -
Tour Finishes
Sapporo
Tour Highlights
- Climb Mt. Shioya-Maruyama (629m/2,064ft) for panoramic views of the Sea of Japan.
- Visit the Sankaku Seafood Market, the Otaru people’s kitchen for over 70 years.
- Take a picturesque journey on local rail and travel in an eco-friendly way.
About Otaru
Otaru is a pretty port town close to Hokkaido’s capital city Sapporo. Famous for its canal, sushi, glass ateliers and streets lined with classic stone warehouses and buildings, Otaru’s historic charms have been drawing visitors from the rest of Japan and beyond for many years. Facing the Sea of Japan, Otaru flourished as a gateway to Hokkaido, trading herrings, coal, and other goods necessary to develop the newest prefecture at that time.
On this nostalgic excursion we will explore Otaru from its mountain to the sea, using only JR (Japan Railway) as our mode of transportation from Sapporo. We will hike up Mt Shioya-Maruyama, a mountain popular with local Sapporo hikers due to its accessibility and stunning ocean views from the top. The afternoon sees us venture into a local seafood market “Sankaku Ichiba”, which sells the freshest seafood caught in the Sea of Japan right by Otaru Station.
Who is this tour for?
- Active travellers who enjoy walking & hiking for more than 5 hours a day.
- Curious travellers who enjoy a mixture of activities & sightseeing and learning about the regions they visit.
When is the best time to hike in Otaru?
We run this tour during the snow free months between May and October and anytime during this period is the perfect time to go! Spring arrives in Otaru in late April, when the cherry blossoms and the spring flowers start gracing the townscape at sea level. Around June is the season of fresh verdure, and a pleasant time to hike on lower mountains like Mt Shioya-Maruyama (629m/2,064ft). July is still relatively dry and enjoys warm weather, and in August the temperature reaches its peak (22°C/71°F on average), when we pull out our short sleeves to make the most of the summer days! September and October are our autumn months, when we start seeing the change of foliage colour, a sign of Mother Earth preparing itself for a long, snowy winter of Hokkaido.
What to bring on your Otaru Mountain & Market by Train 1 Day Hiking Tour
Essentials
- Waterproof jacket and pants
- Adequate footwear for hiking
- Fleece jacket (even in summer the temperature can drop below 15ËšC/60ËšF)
- Gloves, beanie, and other items to keep you warm
- Sun hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses
- Water bottle or hydration system of more than 1L
- Personal medications
- Travel insurance
- Backpack with enough capacity to carry all of the above
- Rain cover for the backpack
Recommended
- Personal snacks
- Walking poles
- Camera
We supply
- Lunch, drink and snacks
- First aid kit
- Safety equipment and maps
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Hiking through native forest on the Mt Shioya-Maruyama trail
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View of Shioya Beach and Port from the mountain top
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Sankaku Seafood Market near the Otaru JR Station
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Overlooking the sea of clouds at the summit of Mt Shioya-Maruyama
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The summit marker at Mt Shioya-Maruyama at 629m / 2,064ft
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A small shrine on the rocky peak of Mt Shioya-Maruyama
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Taking in the ocean view from the cliffs on Mt Shioya-Maruyama
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Mt Shioya-Maruyama trail in summer
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Views of the Sea of Japan and Shakotan mountains
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Views from the summit of Mt Shioya-Maruyama
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Hiker in early autumn on the Mt Shioya-Maruyama trail
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Shioya JR Station
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Fresh seafood at Sankaku Market in Otaru
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Otaru's iconic canal and stone warehouses
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Sankaku Market near Otaru Station