Living in Otaru Station

A port and tourist city (a separate city, not part of Sapporo) where the Otaru Canal is a 5-minute walk from the station, so you can enjoy the atmosphere of old buildings and water every day. Sapporo Station is in the 30-minute range by rapid train, and it is clearly cheaper than the city center. However, you have to accept the reality of hilly terrain, winters with average January snow depth of around 150 cm, and a shrinking population caused by young people leaving.

Otaru is a port and tourist city served by the JR Hakodate Main Line, west of Sapporo. The atmosphere of the canal and old buildings is its charm, you can commute to Sapporo by JR, and rents are cheaper than in the city center, so you can enjoy a stylish life at a reasonable cost. However, you need to allow for the shrinking population, hilly terrain and winter snowfall. It suits people who want a tourist-town atmosphere and low housing costs, or who commute to Sapporo.