Stroll through the Motomachi historic district

Beste tid å besøke

Late afternoon in autumn, when the maple trees lining the slope turn crimson and the setting sun hits the wooden facades. Weekday mornings are calmest if you want to browse the shops without crowds.

Budsjettips

Strolling the street is completely free; the only costs are the shops and cafés you choose to enter. The nearby Hokkaido Museum charges about 600 yen, and some glass workshops offer pay-per-piece crafting sessions starting around 1,500 yen.

Anbefalt for

History buffs, Photography enthusiasts, Shoppers and craft lovers, Couples

Planlegg ditt besøk

2-3 hours

Om

Raske fakta: The sloping streets once served as the main road for coal shipments from nearby mines, and the wooden storefronts still carry hand-painted signs from the Meiji era. Around 30 restored buildings line the route, many now housing glass workshops and bakeries that have operated for over a century.

Høydepunkter: Look for the antique iron fire hydrant shaped like a pagoda near the top of the slope, a relic from the 1920s that still works today. During the winter festival in February, oil lamps line both sides of the street for the "Candle Night," and the whole district glows with over 2,000 flickering flames against the snow.

Insidertips

Wear comfortable shoes with grip, the slope is quite steep and can get icy in winter.
Head to the glassblowing studio around 11 a.m. to catch the artisans at work before their afternoon break.
Skip the main street on weekends and wander the narrow side alleys instead, where quieter shops sell handmade ceramics.
Grab a soft-serve ice cream from the old dairy shop near the midpoint, their flavor rotates seasonally.