Otaru is a port city on Hokkaido's Sea of Japan coast, close enough to Sapporo for an easy day trip but different enough to feel like a proper change of scene. Its old canal, stone warehouses, glass shops, and steep streets give it a softer, more historic face than the modern capital nearby.
The city grew fast in the Meiji era as a trading port and rail hub. That boom left behind banks, warehouses, and commercial buildings that now hold museums, shops, beer halls, and restaurants. The canal is the obvious walk, especially at dusk when the lamps come on, but the best visit is a slow loop through Sakaimachi, the old financial district, and the waterfront.
Otaru is also one of Hokkaido's best food towns. Sushi is the main prize, backed by seafood from the port, but the city is just as famous in Japan for glassware, music boxes, and winter lanterns during the Snow Light Path festival.