Otaru

A city-port of Otaru is situated about 34 km west of Sapporo. It is Hokkaido's largest city, which is connected by rail and expressway with it. Its population is 200,000 people.

The city was founded in 1865 on the hilly coast. That is why an emblem of the city is a hexagon, which means six hills. In the language of the ancient residents of Hokkaido Island Otaru means «a place without river», «a desert place». The symbols of Otaru are a birch and an Azalea flower.

In 1873 a highway was built between Otaru and Sapporo and in 1880 a railway was laid between both cities. In the same year the first berthages were built on the seaside. In 1889 Otaru was declared as an open sea port. Good transportation links, closeness to the fishing areas and coalfields made Otaru the largest commercial and fishing port. 

In August, 1966 the chairman of Nakhodka City Executive Committee Ms. Borisova sent the Mayor of Otaru Mr. Adachi a letter with the following information: «Nakhodka is the nearest city to Otaru and we would like to establish friendly relations between both cities». Mr. Adachi approved that proposal. An agreement on friendship was signed by the chairman of Nakhodka City Executive Committee Mr. Pavlov and the Mayor of Otaru Mr. Adachi on September, 12, 1966. In 1967 on the New Year’s Eve the residents of Nakhodka sent a Christmas tree and pictures made by children of Nakhodka to Otaru. Those pictures were exhibited in 27 schools of the city. In honor of the 10^th anniversary of the establishment of the twin-cities relations a memorable wall with the pictures of Nakhodka and Otaru emblems was installed in both cities. The exchange of delegations of sportsmen plays an important role in the Russian-Japanese relationships. In 1978 yachtsmen from Otaru and Kashiwazaki visited Nakhodka. In September, 1979 our yachtsmen paid the return visit to Otaru on the yacht «Captain Grishin». In the same year the ship of Friendship from Nakhodka visited Otaru for the first time. Over 250 representatives of Nakhodka were aboard that ship. Children from Otaru have a rest in camps of Nakhodka every summer.