Thursday 11th May 2017

Otaru

Late breakfast this morning as we were warned by reception that there was a large party of school children staying in the hotel.

It was drizzling rain so we booked on a canal cruise, on boats especially designed for use on this canal and to get under the low bridges. The recently made boats (2012) are fibre reinforced plastic making them light and manouverable. The canal is less than 20 mts wide. We were very surprised to find that the plank seats had heated padded sections. Almost too hot to sit on.

The port is protected by three large breakwaters, the first one built in 1908. It is only since the mid 1980's that use of this canal area has been made attractive for tourism. 

A point of interest along the way was a factory which has been making cans for food since the 1920's and currently makes cans for Suntory, Kirin and Kikkoman products. Also a large barge used to carry goods from ships in the port to warehouses along the canal. It is now a rusting hulk! The decks of these barges were the same height as the canal banks.

One warehouse had a tiled roof which is rare in Hokkaido. The roofs are easily damaged by the weight of snow. This one had silver Koi, as decoration but also as protection against fire. Apparently water pours from the mouth of the fish if fire eventuates.

Dinner was another hole-in-the wall affair. Again the proprietor and staff were women and we were the only customers. One visitor to the restaurant in 2014 was a Japanese Dakar Rally driver (Team Hino). Presume Puce Goose's business card will go on the wall next to his. Food was excellent but whale sushimi though on the menu wasn't available.