Otaru day trip

We spent a lovely day in Otaru, a small seaside port town about an hour’s train ride from Sapporo. The train carriages weren’t that crowded, but Casey and I still didn’t get a seat. Fortunately, the train was less jerky and standing didn’t feel as much like a gamble as it did on the Tokyo trains. As we neared our destination, the sea came into view and the ride felt less like a common public transit experience (albeit in Japan!) and more like a sightseeing tour.

When we arrived at the station, we found a small cafe where we could have a drink and get our bearings. Casey and I had matcha lattes (which were tasty but surprisingly sweet) and Anna had a Blue Hawaii (which I’m told was every bit as sweet as it looks).