Well, this morning started different to say the least. An old actual-bell fire alarm in the 7th floor hallway went off, prompting both the locals and us foreigners to poke our heads out and wonder what the hell we’re supposed to do. The Japanese fire department arrived and silenced the alarm (no actual fire, and not even the supervisor of the building knows why it triggered in the first place), but at least I know I’m in good company being out of the loop on how to handle a non-emergency.
With that distraction out of the way, I gambled on heading to a northern town not on my original itinerary called Otaru. This port town has a surprising amount of European influence as evidenced by the architecture in some buildings, a Venetian art museum and the fact the city is laid out in a square block format (Sapporo is too but I chalk that up to sheer luck). Unfortunately my first destination was a bust as the Nikka Yoichi whiskey distillery requires a previous reservation to tour, but the arcades (“outdoor” market alleys with arching roofs) more than made up for it with various shops and restaurants to soak up the local color. I made my way down the Otaru canal to the next stop in my northern tour: Kitaichi Hall.
The euro influence comes again in the elegant design of Kitaichi Hall, a converted dock warehouse committed to the crafting of glass. The cafe (45min wait by the way) featured 160+ oil lamps glistening to create the perfect ambience to grab a quick bite with live piano performance. The extensive gift shop gives consumers to purchase their own pieces of the atmosphere in several formats from traditional lamps to kitchen glassware to jewelry. Not to be topped in old-fashioned craftwork, the Otaru Music Box Museum features miniature Mozarts of every variety and tune. The standout attraction is the steam-powered grandfather clock outside, which has been running for over a hundred years.
I headed back to recharge and find a suitable dive to inhabit, and I couldn’t be happier than my Reddit find of the Sapporo Beer Cellar – the vanguard of craft beer in Sapporo (and by proxy the whole of Japan). Originated by an Oregonian expat, the beer selection, the ambient music, and the clientele all evoked an American west coast feel. I chatted up the owner of a local bar (apparently lots of places are closed Mondays in Sapporo) about flavor preferences, Japan’s top tourism spots, and live in general. Thoroughly buzzed and indebted to the patrons, I headed back and called it a night for Day 2 in Sapporo.
Ice's Travels 