Love Letter: Filming Locations in Otaru

The story begins in Kobe, on the day of Itsuki's memorial ceremony, when Hiroko looks through his high school yearbook and finds an address under his name in the city of Otaru. That Kobe home was not filmed in Kobe: the inside of the Fujii house was shot at the Former Suhara Residence in Otaru. Since the story puts the house in Kobe, Otaru plays two cities at once.

Location precision: The Fujii house is set in Kobe in the story; the pin marks the Otaru residence used for its interior.

Visitor guidance: Open from spring to mid-October, mainly on weekends and public holidays; check before going.

Female Itsuki works at the public library, and this stone building, completed in 1906, is where the film put it. The library scenes were shot here on the old bank street, and the same story reaches back to school days, when both Itsukis shared the duty of looking after the school library. You can go inside today, and Canal Park in front is bustling with tourists.

Visitor guidance: The library location closes on Tuesdays; check current hours before visiting.

When Hiroko and Akiba travel to Otaru, Female Itsuki is tricked into going to the hospital, where she falls asleep and dreams about her father's death. The hospital is Otaru City Hall: both the outside and the second-floor waiting area of the main building appear in the film. It is a working city office, so look quietly and keep out of the way of people there on business.

Visitor guidance: A working city office: view the outside and keep quiet and out of the way if you go in.

Itsuki, having read the letter, passes the travelers on her bicycle. Hiroko calls out, but a crowd of pedestrians intervenes and the two women are separated, never to meet. The scene was shot at the Irinai crossing in Otaru, and the postbox in it was built as a prop for the film. Today it is an ordinary public street corner.

Location precision: The sources name the Irinai crossing but not an exact corner, so this stop has no pin.

Visitor guidance: A public street corner in the Irinai area; the film's postbox was a prop and is not there.

The flashbacks show Male Itsuki as a shy and peculiar boy, anything but a Romeo. In Temiya Park, the young Itsuki rides past on his bicycle and puts a paper bag over the other Itsuki's head, and the school athletics meet was filmed here too. Incessant teasing by classmates led to the Itsukis sharing the duty of looking after the school library.

Visitor guidance: A public park in Otaru's Temiya district.