Otaru Canal Private Sightseeing Tour from Sapporo Station

We were pleased to have met and been toured by Tomo on June 3 through Otaru city. We are able to enjoy and understand what he was saying, from history to food, and even to jokes in between. May we be toured by him once again, when we come back to Japan.

A fun way to spend the day and easily see Otaru from Sapporo. Otaru is pretty easy to get to by train from Sapporo, but seeing all the sites on foot would require some effort. There is still some walking from the waterfront where we parked to the canals and quaint shopping area where glasswork and other souvenirs may be purchased. But a car made access to the overlooking Tengu Mountain quite easy. Also having a guide helped us visit certain stores we sought and also added a trip to the historic bank which we likely would have missed on our own. Also interesting was the steam clock which has a sister clock in Gastown, Vancouver which I had seen in the past.

My wife and I booked the The Otaru tour and it completely exceeded my expectations. Our guide, Mr. Tomo, was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the local history and culture. The itinerary was perfectly paced, allowing us to see the city's historical sites and shops without feeling rushed. The transportation was comfortable, and we were even treated to some hidden gems and local eateries we never would have found on our own. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Hokkaido. Thank you!

My wife and I really enjoyed the tour. Great place and very knowledge and accommodating guide, Mr. Tomo. Looking forward to visiting again.

We had a wonderful experience on our tour with Tomo. He is very knowledgeable and has an excellent command of English, which made everything easy to understand and enjoyable. As it was a private tour, we had more flexibility and time to explore at our own pace, especially during the shopping stops, which made the experience even more fun. Tomo also brought us to a fantastic local seafood restaurant where the food was extremely fresh and delicious, with a beautiful view of the Sea of Japan. One of the highlights of the tour was visiting the top of Otaru Tenguyama Mountain. The breathtaking bird’s-eye view of Otaru City and the port was truly unforgettable. Overall, the tour was very well organized, enjoyable, and memorable. Tomo is not only a great guide but also very friendly and accommodating. Highly recommended!

Tomo-san is a great tour guide! He is very professional, attentive & very thoughtful. We enjoyed the tour very much!

Tomo San was very professional and friendly.

Tomo, our guide, arrived on time to pick us up at the hotel. He drove us to Otaru. He was very knowledgeable of the city, as well as of Sapporo. He speaks good English, he was very patient while my wife shopped, and overall he was an excellent tour guide. I recommend him to anyone without any hesitation. He is a truly 5 star tour guide!!!

The Otaru private tour was truly an unforgettable experience—made even more magical by the beautiful snowfall. Our guide, Tomo-San, was outstanding: warm, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable. He was already waiting at our hotel entrance before the scheduled pickup time, setting the tone for a smooth and well-organized day. We began with a leisurely walk along the iconic Otaru Canal, where Tomo-San shared fascinating insights about the historic warehouses and the city’s past as a thriving port town. He was wonderfully patient as we explored the charming shops along the way, giving us plenty of time to browse and enjoy the atmosphere. One of the highlights was visiting the Kitaichi Venetian Art Museum, where we dressed up in Venetian-style attire for photos—a fun and memorable experience! Even Tomo-San was impressed with our attire. At our final stop, the historic Bank of Japan Otaru Museum, Tomo-San thoughtfully retrieved the car and picked us up so we wouldn’t have to walk back to the parking lot in the cold. Although the road to Mount Tengu was closed due to weather conditions, Tomo-San quickly adjusted our itinerary and took us to Shiroi Koibito Park and Asahiyama Memorial Park instead. From there, we were treated to breathtaking panoramic views of the city—a perfect way to conclude the tour. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the experience and highly recommend Tomo- San as a tour guide. We would not hesitate to book another tour with him in the future.

Tomo-san was an incredible host! He was very meticulous in his planning and his care during our tour of Otaru. Mt. Tengu was closed so he instead took us to Shiroikoibito Park and then allowed us time to see the beautiful night view of Sapporo. On top of it, he always made sure the car was warm for us whenever we took time to shop or take pictures before leaving an area. He answered any questions we asked, made for amazing conversation in general, and took the time to ensure that we had an unforgettable experience in Otaru. He was so personable that it was hard to leave at the end of the tour! He knew so much about Hokkaido and in general is so well traveled, I felt like I could ask anything and knew I would get a great answer. He made sure we spent the time we needed in memorable spots in Otaru and made amazing recommendations for omiyage, snacks, and sushi (even last minute!). I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see Otaru, especially if they want to learn about it.