The Historical Streetscapes of Sakaimachi and Ironai

Sakaimachi and Ironai Streets in Otaru preserve the largest concentration of late nineteenth and early twentieth century merchant buildings in Hokkaido. The wealth that built them came first from the herring industry, then from Otaru's role as Hokkaido's main coal shipping port and financial center, which at its peak supported 16 banks by 1907. When Otaru declined from the mid-twentieth century onward, many buildings stood empty until a preservation movement in the 1980s repurposed them. The Kimura Warehouse became a Kitaichi Glass store in 1983 and drew visitors back to the area, followed by galleries, cafes, and hotels in other restored buildings. Rickshaws still operate along Sakaimachi Street as they did over a century ago.