Filming Locations of "Love Letter" Are Full of Romance: 11 Must-Know Spots for a Canal Cruise in Otaru

▲ The Otaru Canal at night is full of romantic magic. (Photo by reporter Chen Ruizhong, the same below)

By Chen Ruizhong / Reported from Otaru

When it comes to the “Otaru Canal,” many people immediately think of its romantic waters and quaint factory warehouses. The surrounding shopping streets and glass art galleries also always tempt visitors to shop ’til they drop. In fact, as an important economic lifeline for Otaru in the past, taking a canal cruise allows you not only to appreciate the canal’s charm up close but also to witness firsthand the city’s development history.

Once known as the “Wall Street of the North,” Otaru was once an important hub for mining and commerce. Ships laden with goods came and went along the Otaru Canal and the harbor. But with wars and the passage of time, half the length of the Otaru Canal has been filled in to become roads, and the former warehouses have been repurposed as shops, glass craft museums, and cafés.

▲ The Otaru Canal cruise boats are well-equipped with heaters and blankets to keep passengers warm.

The boat tour route spans from Asakusa Bridge to Canal Park, where you can see the once-bustling warehouse district, docks, or buildings that were chosen as movie filming locations. The Japanese Emperor once overlooked the thriving scene of the Otaru Canal from Kitahama Bridge along the way. Therefore, many spots along the route are worth admiring. The unique atmosphere of Otaru also made it the filming location for the classic Japanese romance film "Love Letter," making it a perfect pilgrimage site for eagle-eyed movie fans.

▲ The “warehouse district” of the canal is arguably the best example of Otaru’s history.

1. Otaru Canal Warehouse District
In the past, to safely store goods, most of Otaru’s warehouses were built with stone. Whether red brick or gray stone, they all reflect Otaru’s status as a commercial hub back then. The most iconic photo spot in Otaru is also the view of the canal reflecting the warehouses.

▲ The view of the Otaru Canal taken from Asakusa Bridge is the most popular photography spot.

2. Asakusa Bridge
The Otaru Canal has a slightly curved trajectory. From Asakusa Bridge, you can capture both the warehouse cluster and the curve of the canal in one shot, making it the most popular photography spot on the canal. During the annual Snow Light Path event in winter, this place also serves as the main stage.

▲ Otaru Port is the fourth-largest port in Hokkaido and was once an important coal-shipping harbor.

3. Otaru Port
Sailing out from under Tsukimi Bridge toward the outer harbor leads you into Otaru Port. It is the fourth-largest port in Hokkaido by area and was once a key coal transport hub for the region. Many scenes of "Love Letter" were filmed around Otaru Port. Although freighter traffic has decreased with industrial transformation, it has now become an important cruise ship port. If you’re lucky, you might see large cruise ships docked in the harbor.

▲ The police boat, known as the “marine supercar,” can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h.

4. Marine Supercar
Docked in Otaru Port is a gray-and-white Hokkaido Prefectural Police boat. Made of aluminum alloy, it is agile and lightweight, with a top speed of 70 km/h—far beyond that of ordinary boats—earning it the nickname “Otaru’s Marine Supercar.”

▲ The glass used in the windows of the Hokkaido Can Factory is handmade, reflecting the prosperity of Otaru’s glass industry.

5. Hokkaido Can Factory Otaru Plant
Hokkaido Can is a significant traditional industry in the area, with both old and new warehouse zones. The old warehouse of the canning factory features windows made of handmade glass from Otaru, exuding a strong sense of nostalgia and simplicity. The famous Hokkaido confectionery “Shiroi Koibito” packaging tin boxes are produced here.

▲ The protruding viewing platform on Kitahama Bridge was once a spot where the Japanese Emperor admired the Otaru Canal.

6. Kitahama Bridge
Locals regard both Kitahama Bridge and Asakusa Bridge as the best spots for photographing the Otaru Canal. Since Kitahama Bridge once offered a view of the canal branch converging, even the Japanese Emperor once stood here to enjoy the scenery. Though the branch has been filled in, it still holds a bit more classic charm than Asakusa Bridge.

▲ A cargo-carrying boat called a yakatabune.

7. Yakatabune
On the Otaru Canal, you can still spot docked “yakatabune.” These boats feature a flat platform design on top, specifically for carrying goods. In Otaru’s prosperous days, the canal was bustling with yakatabune shuttling back and forth, but they’ve become much rarer over time.

▲ One of the key filming locations of "Love Letter": the former NYK Line Otaru office.

8. The former Osaka Shosen Kaisha Otaru Branch
Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, the former Osaka Shosen Kaisha Otaru Branch is renowned for its elegant exterior and hailed as “an unprecedented classic building north of Kanto.” It also served as the private library where Fujimoto Tree worked in the movie *Love Letter*.

▲Live band performances can be enjoyed at Gold Stone.

9. Gold Stone
With its stone-built exterior, Gold Stone is a well-known live music venue in Otaru, and its soup curry is a famous local specialty.

▲Tenguyama is not only a popular ski resort in Otaru but also a filming location for *Love Letter*.

10. Tenguyama Ski Resort
From the Otaru Canal, you can see Tenguyama in the distance. In winter, the ski resort on Tenguyama becomes a popular destination in Otaru. It features “Tenguya’s Wall,” the steepest slope in Hokkaido with a 40-degree incline, and offers panoramic views of Otaru’s night scenery from above. The iconic scene in *Love Letter* where Hiroko runs and shouts in the snow was filmed here.

▲The unassuming old factory building is actually the headquarters of the villainous organization in *Kamen Rider*.

11. Kamen Rider Building
Next to the “Asahi Bridge,” the longest bridge over the Otaru Canal with its pale yellow railing, stands a four-story factory. Though it looks peaceful and simple, this building was used as the “headquarters of the evil organization” in the tokusatsu series *Kamen Rider*, making it a nostalgic spot for many long-time fans.

Otaru Canal Cruise
Duration: Round trip about 40 minutes, including commentary
Price: ¥1,500 for adults and ¥500 for children during the day; ¥1,800 for adults and ¥500 for children at night. (¥500 is approximately NT$135)

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