Top 5 Restaurants to Enjoy Hokkaido Cuisine in the Popular Tourist Area of Otaru Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Reservation Guide-

Update-date: Dec 02 2024

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Categories: Otaru

Top 5 Restaurants to Enjoy Hokkaido Cuisine in the Popular Tourist Area of Otaru

Otaru, lined with canals and brick-built warehouses, exudes a retro charm and stands as one of Hokkaido's premier tourist destinations. Its quaint streetscape captivates many visitors. A must-not-forget experience in Otaru is indulging in Hokkaido's culinary delights, starting with the bounty of the northern seas. Enjoy local ingredients and regional dishes to create memorable moments of your journey.

See full listings of restaurants found in and around Otaru.

Otaru Masazushi Zenan

Enjoy the taste of a long-established sushi restaurant while overlooking the Otaru Canal

Enjoying the taste of a long-established sushi restaurant while overlooking the Otaru Canal

Located a 20-minute walk from Otaru Station, Otaru Masazushi Zenan is situated on Sushiya Street, where long-established sushi restaurants line up. They source their ingredients from their own seafood store, ensuring that each item is exceptionally fresh. Guests can enjoy a luxurious lineup, including shrimp caught in the morning and whole tuna. Their menu, which includes appetizers and tempura with sushi, is popular among families and women. The restaurant also offers a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, including local sake from Otaru and Awamori from Okinawa.

Top 5 Restaurants to Enjoy Hokkaido Cuisine in the Popular Tourist Area of Otaru | Hokkaido, Otaru

The restaurant faces the tourist attraction, Otaru Canal. It features large windows, creating a bright atmosphere inside. The beautiful scenery of the canal, which changes with the seasons, can be viewed from the eight seats at the side counter. The views during sunset and the snowy winter landscape are particularly exceptional. The interior of the restaurant offers a calm atmosphere that makes one forget the bustle of the tourist area, allowing guests to relax and enjoy exquisite sushi.

Otaru Masazushi Zenan

Open: [Monday - Wednesday, Friday - Sunday, National Holiday, Day Before National Holiday] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: Thursdays
Average price: [Dinner] 7,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Access: About 3-4 minutes' by taxi from JR Otaru station. By Chuo Bus (Yamate Line) it is right next to the Honkyokumae stop.
Address: 1-2-1 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido
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Otaru Takeno Sushi

They can enjoy the blessings of the sea from Hokkaido, including local seafood.

Located a 20-minute walk from Otaru Station, Otaru Takeno Sushi offers a taste of fresh seafood from Hokkaido, including flounder from the nearby seas, botan shrimp from Haboro, and scallops from Funka Bay. A recommended dish is the "Ainori Donbowl," where diners can choose three types of toppings from 20 available options, allowing for a personalized combination. Also not to be missed are the luxurious "Seafood Bowl" packed with seasonal seafood and various nigiri sets made with carefully selected fresh fish.

The restaurant, housed in a wooden building with a retro atmosphere, utilizes a structure from the early 20th century. The interior offers a quiet and calm space. The first floor features both counter seats and table seats. At the counter, guests can enjoy watching the chef's skills. The second floor has table seating for about 20 people and can also be used as a private room (reservation required).

Otaru Takeno Sushi

Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday - Sunday, national holidays, days before national holidays] Lunch 10:30 - 16:00. Dinner 17:00 - 21:00.
Closed: Irregular
Average price: -
Access: Next to Kitaichi Glass on Sakaimachi Dori. A ten-minute walk from JR Otaru Station.
Address: 2-22 Sakai-machi , Otaru, Hokkaido

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Uni Senmonten: Yoichiya (Otaru Unga Branch)

Enjoy a bowl of carefully selected sea urchin and seasonal seafood delights

At Uni Senmonten: Yoichiya (Otaru Unga Branch), located just a 15-minute walk from Otaru Station, one can savor donburi bowls featuring carefully selected sea urchin from Hokkaido and other regions. Not only sea urchin, but also a variety of seafood, typical of the rich offerings from Hokkaido, can be enjoyed. The recommended dish is the "Sekichiya Kaisendon Tokujou," lavishly topped with fresh ingredients. The "5 Best Sea Urchin Comparison Bowl" allows diners to compare different types of sea urchin, making it irresistible for sea urchin lovers.

The restaurant is located near the Otaru Canal in an area that blends seamlessly with the historic streetscape of Otaru, known for its numerous historical buildings. The exterior resembles a stone warehouse, fitting perfectly into the surroundings. Inside, the space is warm and inviting, featuring stylish decor made from fishing boat flags. Guests can enjoy a luxurious time sipping on Hokkaido-produced wines, whiskies, and sake.

Uni Senmonten: Yoichiya (Otaru Unga Branch)

Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day Before National Holidays] 10:00 am - 8:00 pm (L.O. 7:30 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,500 JPY / [Lunch] 5,500 JPY
Access: 6-minute by car from the Sasson Expressway Otaru IC / 60-minute from Sapporo City via National Route 5 / 15-minute walk from Otaru Station
Address: 2-18, Sakai-machi, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido
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Wagyu Kurosawa (Main Branch)

Savor the exquisite taste of Japanese Wagyu, including Shiraoi beef and Kobe beef, to your heart's content.

Savor Wagyu beef such as Shiraoi and Kobe to your heart's content

Located just a 7-minute walk from Otaru Station, Wagyu Kurosawa (Main Branch) is a restaurant where guests can enjoy carefully selected wagyu beef in dishes such as sukiyaki, steak, and beef cutlets. The restaurant offers some of Japan's top wagyu brands, including Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef, as well as Shiraoi beef, a brand from Hokkaido. The "Shiraoi Beef Sukiyaki Set" is a dish where one can savor the mild and rich flavors of Shiraoi beef, raised in the vast nature of Hokkaido. Enjoy it with Otaru's local beers and wines.

The restaurant is located within walking distance of the Otaru Canal and faces a promenade that has been developed from an old railway track. It is situated one block away from the main street, allowing guests to relax away from the hustle and bustle. The interior is designed with a Japanese motif, featuring bamboo and ukiyo-e decorations that enhance its Japanese character. The restaurant offers menus in English, Korean, and Chinese, and is supported by a wide range of guests, both domestic and international.

Wagyu Kurosawa (Main Branch)

Open: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY
Access: 7 minutes walk from Otaru Station
Address: 1-11-10, Ironai, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido
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Kaiyoutei Koshiji

A literary cafe located in the area associated with a coffee shop beloved by literary giants

Once a popular gathering spot for writers associated with Otaru, the coffee shop Koshiji has been succeeded by Kaiyotei Koshiji, a literary cafe where one can relax while reflecting on the literary greats. In addition to the traditional coffee shop menu, they offer dishes rich in Hokkaido ingredients such as "Tonteki and Japanese Dashi Soup Curry" and Kushiro's soul food "Hokkaido Specialty Spakatsu".

The restaurant is a 10-minute walk from Otaru Station. The interior, inspired by a Japanese study room from the 1920s, features transoms crafted by palace carpenters and retro furnishings, maintaining a traditional setup. Guests can enjoy a tranquil time enveloped in the scent of wood and silence. There is also a fun mechanism where a hidden door in the bookshelf, which holds about 800 books, leads to a passage to a private room.

Kaiyotei Koshiji

Open: [Wednesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day Before National Holidays] 11:30 am - 8:00 pm (L.O. 7:30 pm)
Closed: Monday, Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY
Access: 10-minute walk from Otaru Station on JR Hakodate Main Line. It is located on 2F of the Futami Building, facing Sushiya Dori Street.
Address: 2F, Futami Bldg., 1-1-6, Hanazono, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido
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Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.