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The canal zone boomed in the Meiji days, when Otaru was the only major port on the Sea of Japan. It is still the symbol of Otaru. During the most prosperous period, over 400 barges transported cargo from the ships to the warehouses. Old brick and stone warehouses, used today as the Otaru City Museum, line both sides of the canal. A few years ago, there was a heated discussion about whether to bury the canal. It was decided to bury the southern part and pave a granite road over it and to install 32 gaslights. The warehouses were refurbished into shops and museums, making this zone a new tourist area.
Thanks to : Otaru City Tourist Department, Otaru Traffic Museum, Kaimeirou, Kitaichi Glassworks, Masaki and Masae Sato
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