Things to do in Otaru

Take the Ropeway gondola up Mount Tenguyama for a top view of Otaru city and the beautiful sea. You can exchange your QR code for a physical ticket at the counter and also receive a free postcard and a 10% discount at Tenguu Cafe. At the top, there's a Chipmunk Garden, Tengu Shrine, and other activities to enjoy.

Mainly booked this tour because I wanted to visit Cape Kamui, which is not easy to reach by public transport. Seeing the famous Shakotan Blue on a clear day was absolutely worth the price and the long journey. The added bonus was getting to see the Shakotan Coast, visit Otaru, and stop at Shiroi Koibito Park all in the same day. As expected, the schedule was quite tight, but this is understandable given the long distances we had to cover and the number of places included in the itinerary. Our guide, Cici, was pleasant and helpful. However, I felt the tour could have been more informative. She provided translations in Japanese and Chinese and read the English descriptions from her notes, but there wasn't much additional interesting information or storytelling about the places we visited. A little more background, local history, or interesting facts would have made the experience more engaging.

A lovely guided tour with enough time to see the places visited at each stop. Rick, the guide, was very knowledgeable, spoke perfect English, was friendly, and always attentive to the participants, ready to offer useful advice. This tour is highly recommended for visiting places that would have required extensive planning, as public transportation in Hokkaido is not as widespread or frequent as in the rest of Japan (unless you rent a car).

The schedule for this trip was very well organized, with appropriate time allocated for each attraction. The tour guide, Xiao Liao, provided prompt reminders and warm, professional service, communicating very well in Chinese, English, and Japanese. By the way, participants can choose between the Yoichi Distillery and the fruit-picking orchard based on their preferences, and the driver will pick everyone up individually.

We had a wonderful trip led by our guide, Donghwan! We chose this tour because it included the Hill of the Buddha, Otaru, and another stop in between. I traveled with a friend on Friday, September 18th. The weather was hotter than Seoul, with strong autumn sunshine. Short sleeves, shorts, and a light cardigan were perfectly sufficient. Our guide provided explanations about our destination just before arrival and also recommended places to visit and eat in Otaru, which was very helpful. If you're considering this tour, just keep in mind that lunch is usually after 2 PM and will be in Otaru!

We had a fantastic trip visiting Shakotan Blue, the Otaru Canal, and Shiroi Koibito Park. Our tour guide, Hong, was exceptional—his communication regarding meeting points and tour expectations was always clear and well-organized. I was particularly impressed by his ability to fluently speak Korean, English, and Chinese, effortlessly catering to the diverse nationalities in our group. Highly recommended!

We had a great time in our private tour with our driver 维钢. His van was comfy and clean. The rate we paid was higher compared to other operators but it was a last minute booking and glad there was still available van and driver to cater us. Thank you. Keep up the great service.

A great choice if you want a beautiful, flexible, and well‑organized tour that lets you make the most out of a short travel window. Highly recommended for anyone who wants freedom and variety without sacrificing convenience.