CUTE ASIA: Otaru

One thing with Japan is that beauty is innate in the culture. You'll be surprised by the quality of the designs in the unlikeliest corners.

Otaru was the main town of Hokkaido before the central government decided to turn its neighbor Sapporo the administrative and commercial center of the island. Perhaps it was a blessing. While Sapporo became a generic big Japanese powerhouse city, Otaru remained an idyllic, cute port town.