Otaru This & That

Marine Festa will be held in Otaru Chikko area on July 15th as part of celebration of Marine Day, a movable feast falling on the 16th of July this year.

Many interesting events are provided to the visitors at the venues. At Otaru Chikko Waterfront Park, the events include experience-ride of wet bike, steering-experience of a motorboat, "Port Watching" by a boat that allows you to view the landscape of Otaru in Hokkaido from the sea.

Uguis and Bird Cage are in the same old wooden building. Simple but tasteful handmade furniture is displayed downstairs and part of upstairs as sample for custom-made furniture.

Bird Cage, the cafe, is housed upstairs on the opposite side of the furniture display space. Sandwiches made with home-baked bread and homemade cakes eating in a cozy remodeled old building are very good.

Unfortunately, this shop is open only on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays so far, but it is surely worth a visit.

Walter sold in the bottle is usually natural mineral water. "Otaru no Mizu" (小樽の水) or "Water of Otaru" in the photo, however, is tap water. In many cities in the world, tap water is often unsuitable for drinking, but Otaru's tap water is such high quality as sold in the bottle to drink.

People in Otaru don't have to buy this bottled water since there is no difference between the water in the bottle and tap water, (and we all pay water rate anyway).

CICLO is the musical unit made up of Masaharu Iida (contrabass etc.), Ichiko Habu (percussion), and Toru Ohogiyanagi (variety of recorder/fife, kantele, bodhran etc.). They are taking an active part of Otaru Soko No.1's live music performances.

CICLO means "cycle" in English, which suggests a musical cycle (loop or repeat), a life cycle (linkage of life and recycling). Ciclo is also the name of the man powered tricycle taxi used in Vietnam.

"Nishin Goten" or Herring Mansion is the popular name to call a residence of herring fishery proprietor called "Amimoto". Otaru in Hokkaido was once a prosperous town on herring fishing. However, Otaru’s Herring Mansion was originally built in Tomari Village on Shakotan Peninsula where also thrived on herring fishing in the late 1880s.

It was in 1958 that the building was reconstructed in the present place.

"Otaru no Doughnuts-yasan" or Otaru's Doughnuts Shop is not an outlet of major doughnut company. It's a small shop of self-employment in Otaru Hokkaido, but you will find a few different doughnuts that a chain doughnut shop does not have.

The doughnuts in the photo are one of the examples. The one on the left is 'corn doughnut' topped with cornflakes. The texture of doughnuts and crispy cornflakes go very well. The right is 'savory doughnut'. The doughnut, however, is not as salty as you expect.

Otaru Aquarium in Otaru Hokkaido, has variety of fish, marine mammals and creatures from around the world. It always attracts tourists and the locals as a popular recreation and educational facility of Otaru during the season.

This year's opening is from March 17 (Sat.) through November 25 (Sun.). Opening hours are 9:00-17:00 from March 17 to October 31, and 9:00-16:00 from November 1 to 25.

In the aquarium, marine animals show takes place several times a day.

After leaving the Temiya-sen site, I went to the Märchen crossing through the Sakaimachi-dori Street in Otaru, Hokkaido.

The Steam Clock had a presence as always in the light of the snow candles.

There were many snow artifacts along the street.

Some of them were almost melting or disappearing after playing their roll during the period of the festival.

I got to the Chuo-bashi bridge in Otaru, Hokkaido.

The darkness around here enhanced the beauty of candle lights on the water.

Chuo-bashi bridge's Gaien (detached court) is one of the popular souvenir-shot spots.

I walked along the canalside walkway appreciating a lot of snow artworks.

Snow candles illuminated footpath warmly.

I found such a big towering snow candle!

It was made by the staffs of "TARUPON", a local community publication of Otaru, Hokkaido.