Welcome to Otaru City Traditional Cache
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Otaru is a port town on the coast of the Sea of Japan in northern Shiribeshi Subprefecture. The southern portion of the city is characterized by the steep slopes of various mountains, notably Tenguyama; and the altitude of the land sharply drops from the mountains to the sea. The land available between the coast and mountains has been almost completely developed, and the developed part of the city on the mountain slopes is called Saka-no-machi, or "Hill town", including hills named Funamizaka (Boat-view Hill) and Jigokuzaka (Hell Hill).
The city was an Ainu habitation, and the name "Otaru" is recognised as being of Ainu origin, possibly meaning "River running through the sandy beach". The very small remaining part of the Temiya Cave contains carvings from the Zoku-Jomon period of Ainu history, around A.D. 400. Otaru was recognised as a village by the bakufu in 1865, and in 1880 the first railway line in Hokkaido was opened with daily service between Otaru and Sapporo. Otaru was redesignated as a city on August 1, 1922.
A canal runs through Otaru which is adorned with Victorian-style street lamps. During the day it is a hive of activity, and buskers play on the boulevards that run alongside, although it comes into its own at night. Otaru is one of the more picturesque Japanese cities, in a vicinity that is abundant in natural beauty. Beautiful beaches are nearby; at some of these, such as Ranshima and Sunset Beach at Zenibako (on the way to Sapporo), the sea water is extremely clear. Otaru attracts a large number of Japanese tourists as well as Russian visitors.
A famous attraction on the west side of the city is Nishin Goten (herring mansion). This large wooden building, built in 1897, was once the house of a magnate of the herring fishing industry called Hunkumatsu Tanaka. It was originally built in nearby Tomari village and moved from there in 1958. Visitors can clearly see the difference between the squalid conditions of the first floor sleeping quarters of 120 workers and the ground floor luxury of the magnate’s rooms.
Otaru is well known for its beer, and Otaru Beer, next to the canal, is a popular restaurant with a medieval theme. Otaru is also known for the freshness of its sushi. The town also has substantial shopping arcades and bazaars but fewer than nearby Sapporo.
Cache is only a log sheet, please bring a pen.
「おたる」の地名はアイヌ語の「オタ・オル・ナイ」（砂浜の中の川）に由来する。しかしこれは現在の小樽市中心部を指したものではなく、現在の小樽市と札幌市の境界を流れる星置川の下流、小樽内川（現在の札幌市南区にある小樽内川とは別）を示していた。河口に松前藩によってオタルナイ場所が開かれたが、冬季に季節風をまともに受ける地勢ゆえに不便な点が多かったため、風を避けられ、船の係留に適当な西方のクッタルウシ（イタドリが生えるところ）に移転した。しかしオタルナイ場所の呼称は引き続き用いられ、クッタルウシと呼ばれていた現在の小樽市中心部が、オタルナイ（小樽内、尾樽内、穂足内）と地名を変えることになる。現在の小樽市域にはこの他、於古発（オコバチ）川以西のタカシマ場所、塩谷以西のヲショロ場所も開かれていた。これら三場所は、後にそれぞれ小樽郡、高島郡、忍路郡となっている。また、これら三場所と渡島国や道外の間には北前船の航路も開かれていた
現在、往時の繁栄をしのばせる近代建築が市街のいたるところで散見され、観光資源となっている。小樽運河は全国的に知名度が高い。映画やテレビドラマの舞台として頻繁に登場することから、中国、韓国、台湾など近隣諸国からの観光客が急増している。
キャッシュは、ログシートのみなので、ペンを持ってきて下さい。
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
zntarg.va gur obk.fvyire fdhner, guva pnfr. Lbh gbhpu vg jvgu fgnaqvat.