Otaru

Otaru (小樽) is a city on the island of Hokkaido, located in Ishikari Bay (石 狩 湾) and was founded by the Ainu, until the Japanese came during the Edo period. It is famous for its harbour, of great commercial importance both nationally and internationally, especially in the first half of the twentieth century, but to me, what I found most attractive there was its natural beauty. The peculiarity of the crafts and traditions, due to its cultural mix, products made here are highly valued, including glass crafts , considered to be the highest quality in Japan. It is also very famous for the festival which is held every year in February related to ice, snow and fire: The Yuki Akari no Michi.