Photo spot in Sapporo
The Otaru Canal
Stone warehouses and gas lamps along an old harbour canal half an hour from Sapporo — softest at blue hour and lovely under snow.
About The Otaru Canal
Get directionsOtaru, about half an hour west of Sapporo by train, grew rich as a harbour, and its canal is still lined with the stone warehouses of that time. A walkway follows the water past old gas lamps, and the view from the Asakusa bridge down the canal is the town's classic frame.
The canal is at its best at blue hour, when the lamps come on and the warehouses reflect in the water, and in winter, when snow covers the walkway and the roofs. In the coldest weeks the town lights the canal with candles for a winter festival.
The bridge viewpoint is crowded at sunset; the walkway further along gives room. Snow and ice make the paths slippery in winter — wear boots with grip.
Best time to shoot
Blue hour, especially in winter under snow
Tips
Take the classic frame from Asakusa bridge, then walk along the canal for space. In winter, bring boots with grip and a spare battery — the cold drains it fast.
Recent work in Sapporo
Portfolio shots by photographers covering this area
Photographers who shoot at The Otaru Canal
Hand-picked professionals working in Sapporo
Other spots in Sapporo
Odori Park and the TV Tower
A long green boulevard through central Sapporo with the TV Tower at one end — lilacs in spring, beer gardens in summer, snow and lights in winter.
Biei: the Blue Pond and the patchwork hills
A pond of unreal blue among drowned larches and rolling hills striped with crops — Hokkaido's countryside, a day trip from Sapporo.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know The Otaru Canal — free of charge.
