If you go to the Sapporo train station, you can buy a roundtrip ticket to Otaru for about $12.50. The ride itself takes about 45 minutes, but if you sit closest to the right side of the train you can glimpse gorgeous views of the water.
Jess passed the time by reading the first book in the "Hana Kimi" series...
...while Kellie listened to Mihimaru GT on her iTouch...
...and I stared out the windows.
See the train tracks? That's how close we were to the water.
Beautiful views!
Otaru itself is a very westernized town, modeled after Venice (down to the man-made canals and Murano glass factories). Having been to Venice last summer as part of an Honors College colloquium, I had to admit this area stayed true to its muse as I walked past the street artists. If you want a true Japanese city, go to Kyoto.
The two things Otaru offers that the real Venice doesn't are: 1) a five-layer ice cream cone that includes a Ramune-flavored layer and 2) Kaimeiro, a music box shop where you can decorate your own music boxes and choose Japanese pop songs or internationally known American ones to place inside them.
Jess with her five-layer ice cream cone: (from top) Ramune, strawberry, melon, milk and lavender flavors
Kellie decorating her music box at Kaimeiro
Decorating my first music box (with Remioromen's "Konayuki") - I also bought a second one with Ai Otsuka's "Planetarium"
Jess's red love-themed music box with Arashi's "Love So Sweet"
We left Kaimeiro and looked at a few of the small shops selling Murano glass figurines before heading out closer to the water.
The water at sunset was worth staying past dusk to see. (If you zoom in on the above photo, you can also see the Japan Coast Guard boat.)
Afraid to miss the last train and be stuck in Otaru for the night, we hurried back to the train station along the now lantern-lit streets. I'd like to come back here and spend more peaceful time along the water.
BLOG SOUNDTRACK: KAT-TUN 「PRECIOUS ONE」
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