Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Otaru

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Otaru, Japan, led by Sapporo, Asahikawa, Tomakomai. The closest is Ishikari, about 45 min by car, and 4 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Otaru at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Sapporo31 km SE35 minHalf-day trip
Asahikawa128 km NE2 hrFull-day trip
Tomakomai79 km SE1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Ebetsu45 km E50 minHalf-day trip
Chitose67 km SE1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Muroran97 km S1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Iwamizawa61 km E1 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Eniwa57 km SE1 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Kitahiroshima52 km SE1 hrHalf-day trip
Ishikari29 km E45 minHalf-day trip
Noboribetsu83 km S1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Takikawa84 km NE1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Bibai71 km E1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Rumoi98 km NE1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Fukagawa102 km NE1 hr 35 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Otaru

  1. 1

    Sapporo, Japan

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car31 km south-east of Otaru1 hr 10 min round trip

    Known for 日本キリスト教団 札幌教会.

  2. 2

    Asahikawa, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr by car128 km north-east of Otaru4 hr round trip
  3. 3

    Tomakomai, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car79 km south-east of Otaru3 hr round trip
  4. 4

    Ebetsu, Japan

    Half-day trip
    About 50 min by car45 km east of Otaru1 hr 40 min round trip
  5. 5

    Chitose, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car67 km south-east of Otaru2 hr 30 min round trip
  6. 6

    Muroran, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car97 km south of Otaru3 hr round trip
  7. 7

    Iwamizawa, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 10 min by car61 km east of Otaru2 hr 20 min round trip
  8. 8

    Eniwa, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 5 min by car57 km south-east of Otaru2 hr 10 min round trip
  9. 9

    Kitahiroshima, Japan

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car52 km south-east of Otaru2 hr round trip
  10. 10

    Ishikari, Japan

    Half-day trip
    About 45 min by car29 km east of Otaru1 hr 30 min round trip
  11. 11

    Noboribetsu, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car83 km south of Otaru2 hr 40 min round trip
  12. 12

    Takikawa, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car84 km north-east of Otaru2 hr 40 min round trip
  13. 13

    Bibai, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car71 km east of Otaru2 hr 40 min round trip
  14. 14

    Rumoi, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car98 km north-east of Otaru3 hr round trip
  15. 15

    Fukagawa, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car102 km north-east of Otaru3 hr 10 min round trip

A sample day trip: Otaru to Sapporo

A realistic pace for Sapporo, 31 km from Otaru. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Otaru
  2. 09:05Arrive in Sapporo (35 min drive)
  3. 09:20日本キリスト教団 札幌教会
  4. 11:20Lunch
  5. 12:35Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Sapporo
  6. 15:05Head back to Otaru
  7. 15:40Home in Otaru

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Otaru?
The best day trips from Otaru are Sapporo, Asahikawa, Tomakomai, Ebetsu, Chitose. The closest is Ishikari, about 45 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Otaru?
Ishikari is the closest, 29 km east of Otaru, roughly 45 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Otaru?
4 places are within about an hour's drive of Otaru: Ishikari (45 min), Sapporo (35 min), Ebetsu (50 min), Kitahiroshima (1 hr).
What is the biggest city near Otaru for a day out?
Sapporo is the largest city in day-trip range, 31 km south-east of Otaru and about 35 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Otaru?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Asahikawa at 128 km, around 2 hr by car.

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