My favourite photo of the trip at Otaru Canal (credits to Mr Ting)
Yabuhan Soba 小樽蕎麦屋 籔半
Address: Japan, 〒047-0032 Hokkaidō, Otaru-shi, Inaho, 2 Chome−19−19番14号Opening Hours: 11am to 4pm, 4.30pm to 8.30pm (Closed on Tuesday)
Telephone Number: +81 134-33-1212
Family Amenities: Baby Chair (for both tables and tatami table)
Otaru is about 1 hour away from Sapporo by train, and since we arrived at about 11am, we decided to head for lunch first.
Sankaku Market 小樽三角市場
Address: Japan, 〒047-0032 Hokkaidō, Otaru-shi, Inaho, 3 Chome−10−１６
Opening Hours: 8am to 5.30pm
Telephone Number: +81 134-23-2446
Otaru is about 1 hour away from Sapporo by train, and since we arrived at about 11am, we decided to head for lunch first.
Little V busy studying the books at the reception area
Antique rattan baby chair for tatami seating
Deep fried soba appetiser - Slightly salty but very tasty! We finished this in no time.
Uni soba - After tasting the best uni one day before, this didn't taste as good. I'm not a fan of uni, and I think i preferred the soba tower instead.
Soba tower - Soba 5-ways
Tempura don
Soba-yu (hot water which the soba noodles were boiled in)
This was interesting as it was our first time trying soba-yu. Normally you discard the water used to boil the noodles. I didn't know it has a lot of vitamins! Not much taste to it, but very light and refreshing.
The overall experience at Yabuhan Soba was good. We had to wait for about 5 to 10 mins even though we were early, as they had to prepare the table for us. We were also notified that the waiting time for cooking was about 40 mins. The food came earlier than the expected waiting time though. The staffs were very attentive and friendly, even though our toddler was trying to run around the restaurant and touch everything in sight.
Address: Japan, 〒047-0032 Hokkaidō, Otaru-shi, Inaho, 3 Chome−10−１６
Opening Hours: 8am to 5.30pm
Telephone Number: +81 134-23-2446
If you exit Otaru Station and turn left, you will see a staircase leading you to Sankaku market. However, if you have a stroller, walk along the road and enter from the opposite end of the market. The market is an up-slope but is stroller friendly.
The food sold here was similar to what we saw at the Sapporo Wholesale market the day before.
Walking along the old streets in Otaru
Otaru was an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom in the 19th century. The large number of historical buildings and the beautiful Otaru Canal make it a popular tourist destination.
It's the city I wanted to visit in Hokkaido, because of the picturesque canal I always see in friends' photos! I was not disappointed though it was too hot to stay for long to enjoy the scenery.
So pretty in summer! Now if only I can visit again in winter!!
Though the weather was sooooo hot, little V was super excited to run along the cobbled streets! Not the friendliest terrain for strollers though!
#HappyTingFamily welfie along the Otaru canal. In case you are wondering, no it was not cloudy and there's no shade along the canal. I had to hold an umbrella in one hand and my camera in the other so that everyone can force open their eyes in the noon sun.
Our next stop was sakaimachidori, a street full of interesting souvenir shops selling glassware, accessories, food souvenirs, and pretty cafes! It's a pity I missed the rainbow soft serve sold at one of the cafes I passed by and wanted to take a look at! The shops are also not stroller friendly. Most shops have small entrances or steps to the shop, so we had to take turns to guard the stroller outside the shops.
Little V was a bit grouchy because of the heat but nevertheless still wanted to be carried by mummy. We stopped by one of the souvenir shops for some shopping with aircon!
Bought this Hokkaido melon jelly drink from the souvenir shop. Not bad!
Kamaei（株）かま栄 工場直売店
Address: Japan, 〒047-0027 Hokkaido Prefecture, Otaru, 堺町3−7Opening Hours: 9am to 7pm
Telephone Number: +81 134-25-5802
Family Amenities: Diaper Changing
Next stop was a quick snack stop. Kamaei is located along Sakaimachidori and sells a variety of delicious fishcakes and also Hokkaido food souvenirs. You can take away or grab a seat in the spacious shop to hide from the scorching sun.
LeTao Pathos
Address: 5-22 Sakaimachi, Otaru-shi, Hokkaidō 047-0027, JapanOpening Hours: 9am to 6pm
Telephone Number: +81 134-31-4500
Family Amenities: Baby Chairs, Elevator, Diaper Changing
After a couple of shops more, we finally reached our dessert stop - LeTao Pathos! I really really wanted to try the cheesecakes!
Double plate. I think I can finish 2 of this on my own as the cakes were really tiny!
Strawberry Mille Feuille - Another yummy choice but I think i would have preferred ordering the double fromage cheesecake instead.
Pretty way to display the order chit
Pretty mirror for welfies!
Address: Japan, 〒047-0027 Hokkaidō, Otaru-shi, Sakaimachi, ７−22
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm
Telephone Number: +81 134-24-6666
Just a few shops down is Rokatei selling Japanese snacks. I had intended to visit the shop at Furano but was worried that my Furano itinerary will be too packed and I may miss it. Hence I decided to drop by the shop at Otaru and get the food souvenirs first!
Freeze dried strawberries in chocolate - Not bad only
Chocolate coated coffee beans - super yummy! I don't drink coffee as I'm sensitive to caffeine, but this is yummy!
Address: 4-1 Sumiyoshichō, 住吉町 Otaru-shi, Hokkaidō 047-0015, Japan
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm
Telephone Number: +81 134-22-1108
My second highlight of the day! The first one being Otaru Canal :) Before the trip I already told my hubby that I want to get a musical box. I really like those wooden train musical box I saw in the shopping malls in Singapore. Normally I would say that I want to buy something and end up not finding anything that I like, but this time I found THE ONE! Once I saw it I didn't want to put it down!!
Sanrio Cinnamonroll musical box!! What are the chances of finding your favourite sidekick! Hi Mocha!!
Anyway everything else was really pretty in the store though I was mainly attracted to those Made in Japan :)
So the Music Box Museum was our last stop, and we decided to go back to Sapporo via Minami Otaru Station since it was nearer. It's a steep uphill though so be prepared if you have a stroller or is travelling with the young and/or elderly.
Address: Japan, 〒060-0005 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Kita 5 Jōnishi, 4 Chome, 北5条西4-7 (located in Daimaru Level 8)
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm
Telephone Number: +81 11-252-3451
We stopped by Sapporo station for dinner and shopping since it's on the way to our accommodation.
I wanted to try this kind of hotstone seafood rice when we went to Nara last year. But the restaurant was closed on the day we visited. Very flavourful rice and yummy crabs!
The sides were delicious too!
In case the queue is long, you can bring your little one to the Pokemon Centre just next door.
Hi, just to check what brand is your baby carrier? Where you buy from?
ReplyDeleteHi! It's a tula carrier, standard size. Bought it from the tula website :)
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