Cafes and Sweets in Otaru

When looking for sweets in Otaru, it helps to decide first whether you want to “buy and eat on the go” or “sit down and rest.” Sakaimachi Street has LeTAO, KITAKARO and Ryugetsu shops, and near JR Otaru Station you will find Amato, founded in 1929, and Misono, founded in 1919.

LeTAO in Otaru

LeTAO has several shops in Otaru. The official store list shows the following seven shops in Otaru.

Shop name	Address
LeTAO Main Store	7-16 Sakaimachi, Otaru
LeTAO Canal Plaza	2-1-20 Ironai, Otaru
LeTAO PATHOS	5-22 Sakaimachi, Otaru
Nouvelle Vague LeTAO Chocolatier Otaru Main Store	4-19 Sakaimachi, Otaru
LeTAO Plus	5-22 Sakaimachi, Otaru
Fromage Danish Deni LeTAO	6-13 Sakaimachi, Otaru
Ekimo LeTAO	3-9-1 Inaho, Otaru, Sun Bill Square 1F

The shop at the LeTAO Main Store is open 9:00–18:00. The cafe on the 2nd floor is also open 9:00–18:00, with last order at 17:30. The 1st floor has a pastry shop and a takeout counter, and the 2nd floor has a cafe.

If you want to sit down and rest, you can choose the cafe on the 2nd floor of the main store. The official page lists the cafe’s “Miracle Melt-in-the-Mouth Set” as a product exclusive to this store. It also lists “Sound of the Carillon,” an original blended flavored tea exclusive to the main store.

The LeTAO Main Store is listed as having no regular closing day. However, business hours may change depending on the season. When planning your day, it is a good idea to check the official information for the day of your visit as well.

Buying and snacking on sweets on Sakaimachi Street

On Sakaimachi Street, there are shops besides LeTAO where you can buy sweets. Whether items are for takeout or eating in depends on the shop and the product.

KITAKARO Otaru Main Building is at 7-22 Sakaimachi, Otaru. It is open 10:00–18:00 and closed on January 1. The official page lists the fruit cake “June in the Orchard” as a product exclusive to the Otaru Main Building. If you want to buy sweets, it makes a good stop.

Ryugetsu Otaruto Store is at 3-18 Sakaimachi, Otaru. It is open 9:30–18:00, and the cafe is open 9:30–17:30. The Otaru Tourism Association’s store page lists “Otaruto” and other items as sweets exclusive to the Otaruto Store. Inside the store is “Otaruto Cafe,” which serves soft serve ice cream.

If you plan to eat as you walk, one approach is to choose a shop that clearly offers takeout. For example, the LeTAO Main Store has a takeout counter on the 1st floor. On the other hand, not every product is suited to carrying around, so check how to take it with you when you buy.

Historic sweet shops in Otaru

Around JR Otaru Station, Hanazono and Ironai, there are also confectionery shops and tea rooms whose addresses and products are listed in official sources.

Amato Main Store

Amato is a Western-style confectionery shop founded in 1929. The main store is at 2-16-18 Inaho, Otaru; the 1st-floor shop is open 10:00–18:30 and the 2nd-floor tea room 12:00–17:00. It is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The official website lists baked sweets such as “Marron Colon” and the tea room’s “cream zenzai” (sweet red bean soup with cream).

Ice Cream Parlor Misono

Ice Cream Parlor Misono is at 2-12-15 Inaho, Otaru. The Otaru Tourism Association introduces it as a shop founded in 1919. It is open 12:00–16:00 and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Besides ice cream, the items listed include cream soft serve and pudding parfaits.

Niikuraya Hanazono Main Store

Niikuraya Hanazono Main Store is at 1-3-1 Hanazono, Otaru. According to the store information on the official website, it is open 9:30–18:00, and 9:30–21:00 on Fridays. It is closed on Thursdays. Coffee is sold in the store, and you can enjoy sweets there. The Otaru Tourism Association’s store page also introduces Hanazono dango, soft serve ice cream, oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) and more.

Kuwataya Otaru Main Store

Kuwataya Otaru Main Store is on the 1st floor of Otaru Terminal, 1-1-12 Ironai, Otaru. The Otaru Tourism Association introduces Kuwataya’s “panju” as a sweet of Otaru. It is open 10:00–18:00 from April 25 to November 3 and 10:00–17:00 from November 4 to April 24. It is closed on Tuesdays (the next day if Tuesday is a public holiday).

Cafes in charming buildings

In Otaru, you can also look for cafes in old buildings. The Otaru Tourism Association’s feature on cafes in old houses introduces shops in buildings from the Taisho to early Showa periods. If you want to search by the atmosphere of the building, use the Otaru Tourism Association’s feature on cafes in old houses in the March 2024 issue of “Monthly Otaru Jishin” as a starting point.

On Sakaimachi Street, KITAKARO Otaru Main Building is officially introduced as a shop in a stone-built warehouse. It is a convenient stop if you want to combine choosing sweets with seeing a historic building in one visit.

Kitaichi Hall at Kitaichi Glass Sangokan (No. 3 Village) and the Museum Cafe at Otaru Art Base are also options, but detailed information on these two places is covered in a separate article.

otaru Sweets Festa 2026

The “otaru Sweets Festa 2026” runs for four days, from Friday, November 20 to Monday, November 23 (a public holiday), 2026. It is open 10:00–17:00 on all four days, and the venue is the Nature Chamber on the 1st floor of Block 5 at Wing Bay Otaru.

The official website describes it as an event where confectionery shops from Otaru and the wider Shiribeshi area set up stalls. Rather than going from shop to shop, if you want to see several confectioners at one venue, check the event dates.

Before You Go

Business hours and closed days differ from shop to shop. For example, the Amato Main Store is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, while Misono is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you plan to visit several on the same day, check the days of the week first.

Some shops change their hours with the seasons. For example, Kuwataya Otaru Main Store is open 10:00–17:00 from November 4 to April 24. The official page for the LeTAO Main Store notes that hours may change by season. KITAKARO also posts its latest hours on a separate page. Check each shop’s official website for business status before you set out.

FAQ

Are there sweets you can only buy in Otaru?

Some products are officially stated to be exclusive to a particular store. KITAKARO Otaru Main Building lists “June in the Orchard” as a product exclusive to the Otaru Main Building. Ryugetsu Otaruto Store introduces “Otaruto” and others as sweets exclusive to the Otaruto Store. Availability may change, so check the official information before you visit.

Can you eat as you walk along Sakaimachi Street?

It depends on the shop. The LeTAO Main Store has a takeout counter on the 1st floor. On the other hand, the 2nd floor of the LeTAO Main Store and Ryugetsu Otaruto Store also have cafes or tea rooms where you can sit down. Choosing a shop depending on whether you want to snack on the go or take a break makes it easier to get around.