Local Guide
5 Otaru Markets to Enjoy Local Vibrancy and Delicacies from the Mountains and Seas

Otaru, which once flourished as the sea gateway to Hokkaido, had many markets; it is said that in the 1980s there were more than 20 such markets, but many have disappeared in recent years due to the spread of supermarkets and convenience stores. However, there are still markets that are beloved by locals and tourists alike. Many markets can be reached on foot from JR Otaru Station or Minami Otaru Station, making them easy to visit on your way to Otaru.

A convenient market near the station where you can enjoy seafood and gourmet food.

Located only 3 minutes from Otaru Station, the market is crowded with tourists. The cheerful callers will lift your spirits.
Located only 3 minutes from Otaru Station, the market is crowded with tourists. The cheerful callers will lift your spirits.

Otaru Triangle Market, which got its name from the triangular shape of its land and roof, was first opened by a few street vendors after the end of the war. The 200-meter-long market is gently sloping, and 15 stores line both sides of the narrow aisles, selling everything from high-end marine products such as crabs, scallops, and sea urchins to the seasonal fish and produce that grace the tables of the local people. Six of them are Dining Areas, where visitors can dine at any time during the market's hours of operation. Many of the eateries are directly operated by fresh fish stores, and the variety of menu items is almost overwhelming, including rice bowls with fresh seafood, daily set menus, and original rice bowls where the fresh fish you purchased is cooked on the spot. It is the only market in Otaru City that is open every day, so you can visit without worrying about your itinerary.

Local Guide Comment
The charm of market eateries is that they are less formal than sushi restaurants, and you can enjoy fresh seafood bowls. When shopping, you can also enjoy chatting with the shopkeepers, who are full of personality and bargaining with them for discounts.
Otaru Triangle Market
  • Address 3-10-16 Inaho, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 3 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station
  • Business Hours 8:00-17:00 *Varies by store
  • Closed January 1
  • TEL 0134-23-2446
  • Parking 1 hour free parking with purchase of 2,000 yen or more

Young and unique stores harmonize in a retro Showa-era space.

Long-established stores and new stores coexist and open up new possibilities for the market. This is the
Long-established stores and new stores coexist and open up new possibilities for the market. This is the "spirit of the market.

From the postwar period to the 1950s, Otaru Central Market was bustling with peddlers who sold fresh fish in one can (gangan), known as the "gangan troop. Because of its history, Otaru Central Market is the only market that has been selected as one of the cultural assets of Japan Heritage.
The market consists of three communal buildings, and in addition to traditional stores selling fresh fish, meat, produce, and prepared foods, there are 28 stores, including fashionable cafes, stand bars, and flower stores. Art exhibitions, workshops, and other events are held from time to time at the Gan Gan Gallery, a free space within the site. The unique atmosphere of the retro Showa period (1926-1989), when Otaru Central Market was the citizens' kitchen, mixed with the spirit of challenge of the younger generation is the main attraction of Otaru Central Market.

Local Guide Comment
Direction is only a 5-minute walk from Otaru Station. Every Tuesday and Friday, one raffle ticket is distributed for each purchase of 200 yen or more, and you can participate in the stick-drawing raffle. Join the locals and try your hand at it.
Otaru Central Market
  • Address 3-11-2 Inaho, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 5 min. walk from JR Otaru Sta.
  • Business Hours 9:00-18:00 *Depends on the store
  • Closed Sundays & Holidays
  • TEL 0134-22-5384
  • Parking No parking (use nearby toll parking)

The kitchen of Otaru citizens crowded with local customers from morning

Filling your stomach with prepared foods and kamaboko (fish cake) is one of the pleasures of touring the market.
Filling your stomach with prepared foods and kamaboko (fish cake) is one of the pleasures of touring the market.

The market is closely connected to local life, with 27 stores selling fresh fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, prepared foods, daily necessities, and more. The market is filled with lively atmosphere right from the time it opens, attracting many customers not only from Otaru City but also from outside the city, including Sapporo. It is a thrilling experience just to browse through the fresh, fat hokke, surprisingly inexpensive hairy crabs, and other items that cannot be found anywhere else in Hokkaido.
The deli is well-known as the kitchen of Otaru citizens, and its wide selection of side dishes is also a sight to behold. It is a typical Hokkaido market to find "tsubu-ni" and "ika zangi" alongside croquettes and kinpira (fried fish cakes). There is a large rest area inside the market, so it is recommended to buy the side dishes you are interested in and taste them on the spot.

Local Guide Comment
There is also a sushi restaurant, a diner, a bakery, and a coffee shop on the premises, so you can enjoy plenty of shopping and gourmet food.
Minamitaru Market
  • Address 12-1 Shintomi-cho, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 8 min. walk from JR Minami Otaru Sta.
  • Business Hours 9:00-18:00 *Depends on the store
  • Closed Sunday
  • TEL 0134-23-0722
  • Parking Free of charge

A variety of stores that support Otaru's dining and daily life

Local fish such as hatahata, kasube, and yanaginomai are on display.
Local fish such as hatahata, kasube, and yanaginomai are on display.

It is the newest market in Otaru City, built in 1999 (Heisei 11) in response to the increase in the number of visitors to Minami-Taru Market. It has a large parking lot and is open on Sundays, attracting many tourists as well as locals. The market has 20 stores selling fresh fish, processed seafood, fruit and vegetables, prepared foods, etc. You can get seasonal delicacies such as crab, scallops, shrimp, asparagus, corn, melon, Otaru's local sake, etc. that make great souvenirs.
In addition to clothing and daily necessities, the market is also home to a specialty store of Mitsuuma, a local boot manufacturer that has been in business for over 100 years, which is unique to Otaru. The shop offers fashionable boots for outdoor and town use, and is well worth a visit.

Local Guide Comment
There is also a seafood diner with fresh ingredients and a ramen store, a collaboration of two popular izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) in the city, for those who want to satisfy their hunger.
New Minamitaru Market
  • Address 8-11 Chikko, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction Approximately 12 minutes walk from JR Minami-Otaru Station
  • Business Hours 9:30-18:00 *Depends on the store
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 0134-27-5068
  • Parking Free of charge

Enjoy a luxurious breakfast at the only morning market in Otaru

Asaichi Shokudo
Asaichi Shokudo" offers a wide variety of seafood bowls at reasonable prices.

The morning market is open from 4:00 a.m., the earliest morning in Otaru City. Two of the 12 restaurants in the market are Dining Areas, where you can enjoy sushi, seafood rice bowls, set menus, etc. using fresh ingredients from the market, which is a luxury only a morning market can offer.
From around 7:00 to 8:00 am, the market is crowded with local customers seeking fresh fish just delivered from the wholesale market. The market is lined with stores specializing in fresh fish, crabs, dried fish, fish cakes, etc., and it is fun to peruse the different assortments of goods available. In winter, "izushi" (rice sushi) and "pickled herring," a local Hokkaido dish made by fermenting fish and vegetables with malted rice, are also on display, offering a chance to taste the home-style flavors that have been passed down through the generations in Otaru.

Local Guide Comment
The freshness and prices of the products selected by the connoisseurs of the specialty stores are enough to convince even the locals. It is worth getting up early to go shopping.
Rintomo Asaichi
  • Address 3-10-15 Shikinai, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction 6 min. drive from JR Otaru Sta.
  • Business Hours 4:00-14:00 *Varies by store
  • Closed Sunday
  • TEL 0134-22-0257
  • Parking Free of charge
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.