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Otaru Sakaimachidori Shopping Street

Showa Period Wall Street in Japan

Sakaimachi Dori Shopping Street is the busiest part of Otaru, preserving many historical buildings from the Meiji to Showa periods of Japan, and was known as the Wall Street of the North. Otaru's famous local brands such as Otaru Music Box Museum, Kitaichi Glass, and Taisho Glass have opened shops here.

Sakaimachi Dori Shopping Street 小樽堺町通り商店街 is the busiest shopping street in Otaru, known as the Wall Street of the North. Many historical buildings from the Meiji to Showa periods have been preserved on both sides of the shopping street, but they are now mostly used as specialty shops and stores.

One of the most popular specialties in Otaru is the music box. The exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful melodies combined with the unique appearance of the box are irresistible, and the Sakaimachi Dori Shopping Street is home to several music box specialty shops, including Otaru Music Box Museum and Music Box Hall Kaimeiro. Main Building of the Otaru Music Box Museum is one of the largest music box shops in the world and is said to have over 20,000 different types of music boxes.

Japanese Style Music Boxes

Otaru’s Glass Industry is also extremely well developed, similar to Venice, Italy, and Otaru’s famous glass manufacturers, Kitaichi Glass and Taisho Glass, have opened their own stores in Sakaimachi Dori Shopping Street. The KITAICHI Venetian Art Museum in the shopping street is also owned by Kitaichi Glass, and its decorated in Venetian style both in exterior and interior, with a gondola on display inside.

In addition to glass and music boxes, Otaru Sakaimachi Dori Shopping Street has several other Specialty Shops and gourmet restaurants that are also not to be missed.