Otaru Sankaku Market

Otaru Sankaku Market is a market near JR Otaru Station in Otaru, Hokkaido. It is described as a 1-minute walk from the station, and there are restaurants inside. To help you decide whether to stop by, this page covers its location, hours, and what to check before eating or shopping.

What Is Sankaku Market?

The market is located at 3-10-16 Inaho, Otaru, Hokkaido. Sixteen shops line both sides of the aisle, and 6 of them are restaurants. Plan the time of your visit according to whether you want to eat or shop.

It began around 1948, when 7–8 merchants set up outdoor stalls in front of JR Otaru Station.

The inside of the market is sloped. If you have any difficulty walking, check the entrance and the way through the market as well as the distance from the station. Stairs and wheelchair access are covered later in “Getting There and Parking.”

Hours

The market’s hours are 6:00–17:00. The restaurants are listed as 7:00–17:00. Both vary by shop.

If you plan to eat breakfast there, check what time the restaurants open. If you are going to shop, also check when the shops you want to visit are open. You need to check the market’s overall listed hours and the opening hours of the shops you will use separately.

It is listed as open every day of the year. Before you visit, read the official information and, if necessary, call to ask. The contact number is 0134-23-2446. When you call, tell them the day of your visit, the time you expect to arrive, and whether you will be eating or shopping.

If you plan to eat, also check the last time orders are accepted. Instead of relying on closing time alone, it helps to ask something specific, such as “Can I order at the time I expect to arrive?” If you have a train or other departure time that is already fixed, before you order, tell them what time you need to leave the shop. Then decide whether the time available for your meal fits your schedule.

Before You Eat or Shop

Sankaku Market has places to eat, and you can also buy seafood and arrange to have it shipped. If you would like it shipped, tell the shop what you want to buy and where to send it, and discuss it with them. Below are the points to check with the shop before you order or buy.

What to Check Before Ordering a Meal

First, check the price and quantity of what you want to order. If the display alone does not make the contents clear, ask the shop what is included. If you will add anything, also check the total including those items. If no price is shown, ask the price before you decide to order.

For quantity, do not judge by the size of the dish alone; ask what is in it. If there is something you cannot eat, check which ingredients are used and whether the dish can be changed. Tell them what you would like, listen to the shop’s reply, and then decide on your order. This is to help you judge whether the content, quantity and total price of the meal suit you.

What to Check Before Buying Goods

When you look at the price tag on an item, check what quantity that price applies to. Ask the shop whether it is the price of the whole item or a price based on weight. Once you have decided the quantity to buy, check the total for that quantity. If you are buying several items, point to the ones you have chosen and confirm the total.

If you are taking it home with you, tell the shop how long you will be carrying it and what time you will get home. Check how the item needs to be stored and what packaging is available for carrying it. Also ask before you pay whether there is a charge for packaging and the like. Tell the shop about your itinerary and how you will carry the item, and then decide whether to buy it.

What to Check Before Arranging Shipping

Once you have chosen the items you want shipped, show the shop the delivery address. Before you buy, check whether that item can be sent to the place you want. If the destination is overseas, tell them the country first. Also check with the shop at the stage of choosing the item whether it can be shipped overseas. Ask for the price of the item and the shipping fee separately, and also confirm the total including packaging and any other charges.

Also ask the date it will be shipped, the date it is expected to arrive, and how the recipient needs to store it. If there is a date on which the recipient can receive it, tell the shop that date first. Before you confirm the request, review the recipient’s name, address, contact details, and the contents and quantity of the item. If anything about shipping is unclear, ask the shop on the spot.

How to Check Foreign-Language Information

The official Hokkaido tourism site has Sankaku Market introduction pages in English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese and Korean. When you tell a companion from overseas where to go, you can share the page in the relevant language. For the languages available for talking with shop staff and the language of the menu, please check with the shop you will use. When you ask about prices or quantities, point to the item or menu dish you want.

Getting There and Parking

Walking from JR Otaru Station

The Otaru Tourism Association’s guide says it is a 1-minute walk from JR Otaru Station. After you leave the station, head left and climb a small flight of stairs to reach the market entrance. When you check the walking route from the station, remember to go left and to note the stairs just before the entrance.

There are also slopes inside the market. The Otaru Tourism Association lists wheelchair access as “accessible.” If you are visiting by wheelchair, please ask in advance about the entrances you can use and the route inside the market. If you want to avoid stairs, also check specifically how to enter from the station side. It is also a good idea to tell anyone traveling with you which entrance and route you have confirmed.

Getting There by Car

The official Hokkaido tourism site says it is about 15 minutes by car from Otaru IC. Sankaku Market has paid parking. Before you drive there, check the location and entrance of the parking lot you will use. Before you enter, check the signs on site for how the fee is calculated and the hours the lot can be used. Also check the route from where you park to the market entrance.

You can check the locations of JR Otaru Station and the market on the map below.

How It Compares with Other Otaru Markets

When deciding which market to visit, compare the address, hours, closing days and parking. Choose according to the time you have for eating or shopping and the places you will visit before and after. For Rinyu Morning Market and Shin-Minami-Otaru Market, we list the hours and other details from the official information.

Market	Location	Hours	Closed	Parking
Otaru Sankaku Market	3-10-16 Inaho, Otaru	Market 6:00–17:00 / restaurants 7:00–17:00. Both vary by shop	Open every day	Yes, paid
Rinyu Morning Market	3-10-15 Ironai, Otaru	4:00–14:00	Sundays	8 spaces, free
Shin-Minami-Otaru Market	8-11 Chikko, Otaru	9:00–18:00	Wednesdays	Yes, free
Otaru Chuo Market	3-11-2 Inaho, Otaru	—	—	—
Minami-Otaru Market	12-1 Shintomi-cho, Otaru	—	—	—

For Otaru Chuo Market and Minami-Otaru Market, only the name and address are listed. “—” marks a column where no information is given. It does not mean the market is closed or has no parking. For the markets whose hours and other details are left out of this table, please check with each one before you visit.

FAQ

How far is it from JR Otaru Station?

It is described as a 1-minute walk from JR Otaru Station. After you leave the station, head left and climb a small flight of stairs to reach the entrance.

What time does it open?

The market is listed as opening at 6:00 and the restaurants at 7:00. Both vary by shop, so check the hours of the shop you will use.

Is there parking?

There is paid parking. Before you use it, check the location of the lot, how the fee is calculated and the hours of use.