8. Otaru: Canal Town with Northern Lights

Otaru City in Hokkaido Prefecture is a land with beautiful canals. In the past, the commercial town enjoyed prosperity as an anchorage site of cargo ships called “Kitamae Bune." It also played an important role as a base for the national scheme of Hokkaido development. Today, the city still preserves a group of old stone warehouses and a number of historical buildings, which creates an aura of romance and makes the area one of the most sought-after locations in filming. The truly unique atmosphere was a result of local people's long consistent efforts to conserve the old townscape.