Otaru

Otaru
小樽市
Otaru Montage Image
Top left: Otaru Canal
Top right: The Bank of Japan Otaru Museum
Middle right 1: - Glass Works in Otaru
Middle right 2: - Temiya old railway line
Bottom: - Vista from Mount Tengu
Flag of Otaru
Official seal of Otaru
Location of Otaru in Hokkaido
Location of Otaru in Hokkaido
Otaru is located in Japan
Otaru
Otaru
 
Coordinates: 43°11′N 141°0′E / 43.183°N 141.000°E / 43.183; 141.000
CountryJapan
RegionHokkaido
PrefectureHokkaido (Shiribeshi Subprefecture)
Government
 • MayorToshiya Hazama (from August 2018)
Area
 • Total243.83 km2 (94.14 sq mi)
Population
 (July 31, 2023)
 • Total107,432
 • Density440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0134-32-4111
Address2-12-1 Hanazono, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido
047-8660
ClimateDfb
Websitewww.city.otaru.lg.jp
Symbols
BirdAobato (Japanese Green Pigeon)
FlowerAzalea
TreeShirakaba (Siberian Silver Birch)

Otaru (小樽市, Otaru-shi) is a city and port in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces Ishikari Bay and the Sea of Japan, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination. Because it is a 25-minute drive from Sapporo, it has grown as a commuter town. As of July 31, 2023, the city had an estimated population of 107,432 and a population density of 441 persons per km² (1,100 persons per mi²). The total area is 243.83 km2 (94.14 sq mi). Although it is the largest city in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, the subprefecture's capital is the more centrally located Kutchan.