What to know
The herring fishing industry was central to Otaru's early development, with most fish processed into fertilizer rather than food. Major fishing enterprises amassed great fortunes until the 1950s, when herring stocks collapsed and the industry ended.
During the herring boom, wealthy fishermen built large Herring Mansions (Nishin Goten) for fish processing and as homes for themselves and their workers. One well-preserved mansion from the late 19th century sits on a hill by the water about five kilometers from central Otaru. Moved to its current site in 1958, it is now open to the public, displaying fishermen's tools and living conditions.
About a kilometer inland stands the Former Aoyama Villa (Kyū Aoyama Bettei), a luxurious villa built by the Aoyama family, one of the most successful herring fishing families. They spared no expense on materials and construction, including the surrounding gardens. The family's herring mansion was also preserved but moved to Sapporo's Historic Village open-air museum.
The Herring Mansion and Aoyama Villa are five kilometers from the city center near the Otaru Aquarium. From Otaru Station, take city bus number 10 or 11 (20–25 minutes, 240 yen one way, every 20–30 minutes). From the Otaru Aquarium terminal, it's a five-minute walk to the Herring Mansion and a 15-minute walk to the Aoyama Villa.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:00 from mid October to late November)
- Closed
- Late November to early April
- Admission
- 300 yen (~$1.92)
- English name
- Former Aoyama Villa
- Original name
- Herring Mansions (Nishin Goten)
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.