Sakaimachi Hondori (Japanese: 堺町本通り) is located in Otaru (小樽), Hokkaido (北海道), Japan. It is about 1 km long and spans between JR Otaru Station and South Otaru Station. It has been a crowded business district since the early 20th century.
Sakaimachi Hondori still retains many buildings from the Taisho (大正) and Showa (昭和) eras, making people feel like they are in the streets of more than a hundred years ago.
Otaru is famous for its glass craftsmanship, so there are several shops selling glass decorations in Sakaimachi Hondori. The glass decorations sold here are a bit pricey, but the quality is excellent.
The music boxes sold in the Otaru Music Box Hall are all made in Japan, they are of excellent quality and not expensive, very good souvenirs.
This small museum is free and features some of the furniture and accessories from the Taisho and Showa period. In addition, there is a lounge in the corner of the museum, with heating and free Wi-Fi, a good place to take a break.
Fairytale Crosswords (メルヘン交差点) or Märchen Crossroads, is an intersection at the end of Sakaimachi Hondori, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Otaru City.
Installed in 1993, the steam clock is always featured in Otaru sightseeing photos, and has become a symbol of Otaru. It is one of the two steam clocks in the world (another is in Vancouver).
Every 15 minutes, the steam clock will announce the time with a dynamic whistle along with white smoke, and it has become a specialty of the Fairytale Crosswords.
