13:10–14:00 Lunch at Maruten Sato Shokudo (sea urchin rice bowl + grilled fish)
14:00–15:30 Drive to Otaru
15:30–16:00 Check-in at Otaru hotel and organize luggage
16:00–18:00 Sightseeing in Otaru
Planned route: UNIQLO → Otaru Music Box Museum → LeTAO Ice Cream → Stroll through Sakaimachi Street → Kamameshi Factory → Otaru Park
19:30 Visit the izakaya Kamawanu (reservation made)
However, plans are just plans. Reality turned out quite differently.
Unexpected Challenges at Cape Kamui
The morning weather was clear, so we decided to go to Cape Kamui instead of switching to our rainy-day Plan B. Wanting to see the stunning “Bida” scenery that my husband was excited about, we set off. However, Cape Kamui wasn’t stroller-friendly and involved steep paths, so we had to carry our baby and walk almost like hiking. The temperature in Hokkaido soared to 33°C (91°F), and we were drenched in sweat. Still, we were rewarded by the view of the vibrant blue ocean, known as “Shakotan Blue.”
The rest area at Cape Kamui was small and prices were quite high. Ice cream alone cost around 5,000 won (~$4 USD), so we hesitated to buy it. Unfortunately, our baby started crying, and even my husband grew grumpy, causing a bit of chaos. In the end, we abandoned our plan for a sea urchin lunch and decided to head straight to Otaru.
Arriving Early in Otaru
The hotel we booked in Otaru, chosen for its value-for-money, was spacious and clean, but lacked an in-room refrigerator, which was inconvenient. After waking from a nap, our baby cried from hunger, and the tension remained high as my husband was still in a bad mood. We quickly bought shrimp oden from a nearby Kamameshi branch to feed the baby, calming things down a bit. It felt like managing two kids at once.
Once fed, our baby happily strolled through Sakaimachi Street, tasting ice cream and melon along the way. LeTAO’s shop had many tasting samples, and our whole family enjoyed a sweet refresh. There weren’t as many tourists as expected, so it felt relaxed. However, the heat persisted, and my husband joked, “Everyone told me to pack a jacket because Hokkaido would be cold…”
In the evening, we headed to Hatasushi, a sushi restaurant we had booked a week in advance. Although it’s usually hard to get a table without a reservation, we were the first customers and the place was calm. An elderly owner in his 70s and a kind lady in her 60s warmly welcomed us. We ordered the recommended course (5,500 yen) and a smaller course (2,800 yen). There wasn’t much difference between the two, leaving my husband slightly disappointed. Also, Otaru beer was slightly bitter, so we decided not to order it again.
They kindly prepared tamagoyaki (sweet omelet), rice, and miso soup for our baby, but he wasn’t very interested—probably because he had already filled up on ice cream.
After dinner, we decided to walk to Otaru Park, hoping to catch a beautiful seaside sunset. However, even a “20-minute walk” shown on Google Maps can be full of surprises. The path was steep, and carrying the baby felt more like a full-on hike. When we finally reached the top and paused for a drink and a photo, a sudden downpour hit us like a sitcom scene. Bitten by mosquitoes and drenched by rain, we hurried back down before dark.
After returning to the hotel completely soaked, we quickly showered. Although it was around 7:40 PM and we considered skipping our izakaya reservation, we decided to go anyway. Thankfully, they had saved our seats. This place, run by a mother and son duo, was absolutely charming—kind service and delicious food. The chef even customized the menu for us. If I had to choose the best restaurant we visited during this trip, it would definitely be here—a place I almost wanted to keep as a secret.
However, the peacefulness didn’t last long: Our baby started greeting every customer in the restaurant and even tried to imitate dolphin sounds. We had to quickly finish our drinks, buy a few cans of beer from the convenience store, and head back to the hotel. We ended the exhausting day by falling into a deep sleep almost instantly.
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