Muroran, Japan
室蘭市
Muroran is a town of 96,197 people in Hokkaido, Japan, founded in February 1, 1918.
Why visit Muroran
Townapedia lists 65 museums and landmarks, 121 parks and trails, 171 places to eat, 19 places to stay and 12 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Hakuchō Bridge, Mt. Bokoifuji, 港の文学館 and 室蘭市青少年科学館.
Weather in Muroran
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Muroran
Muroran (室蘭市, Muroran-shi) is a city and port located in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Iburi Subprefecture. As of January 31, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 76,385, with 43,494 households and a population density of 944 people per square kilometre (2,440 per square mile). The total area is 80.88 km2 (31.23 sq mi).
From the Wikipedia article Muroran (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Muroran on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do12
Museums and landmarks65
明治天皇御乗艦御聖蹟
Monument and historic site · 1.9 km
明治14年(1881)9月4日、明治天皇が北海道巡幸で室蘭に行幸(ぎょうこう)され、山中旅館に一泊後の翌日午前7時35分、諸艦の礼砲のこだまする中、天皇は波止場からお召し艦「迅鯨(じんげい)」に御乗船、一路対岸の森町へと向かわれました。...
53 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds121
109 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes171
伊酒屋かっちゃん
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza, Chicken, International · 4.5 km
3, 室蘭市
Mo-Th 18:00-25:00, Fr-Su 18:00-27:00
居酒屋まんまる
Restaurant · Japanese, Yakitori · 4.9 km
16, 室蘭市
We-Mo 17:30-23:00
牛たんの豊助
Restaurant · Japanese · 4.1 km
18, 室蘭市
11:30-14:00,17:30-23:00
159 more on the map.
History
The origin of Muroran's name is derived from the Ainu word "Mo Ruerani", which means "the bottom of a little slope". The little slope, in front of the former Senkai Temple in Sakimori-cho, is noted in connection with the name of Muroran.
In the late 16th century, the Muroran region came under the administration of the Matsumae clan. Muroran was developed as a trading post between the Ainu and the Matsumae clan people.
In 1892, the Port of Muroran was opened for the wooden bridge construction at Kaigan (former Tokikaramoi); at the same time, the main road began construction from Hakodate to Sapporo as the first step of Hokkaido Colonization Plan.
An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Muroran as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom.
With the opening of a ship route from Muroran to Mori and railroad extension to Iwamizawa, Muroran's municipality was started on August 1, 1922 as the core of the major land and sea traffic in the pioneer era of Hokkaido. Since then, Muroran has been developing as an important transportation hub and a center of the steel industry. This unfortunately earned the town's industrial plants a bombardment by some of the newest American battleships in July 1945, in the closing days of World War II. Muroran was also bombed by American naval aircraft on 14 and 15 July 1945, 525 people were killed.
From the History section of Muroran on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay19
Churches and places of worship73
Shopping39
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Healthcare30
Map of Muroran
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Hakodate Airport (HKD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 62 km away.
- Date 19 km northwest, about 19 min by car
- Noboribetsu 22 km northeast, about 22 min by car
- Sōbetsu 28 km north, about 28 min by car
- Tōyako-onsemmachi 31 km northwest, about 31 min by car
- Shikabe 35 km southwest, about 35 min by car
- Shiraoi 39 km northeast, about 39 min by car
- Honchō 53 km southwest, about 53 min by car
- Yakumo 60 km west, about 1 h by car
- Hakodate 64 km south, about 1 h by car
- Sapporo 88 km north, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Muroran station Platform 20120902, Rsa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Muroran Station platforms 20140705, くろふね (Kurofune), CC BY 3.0
- Muroran station 20120902, Rsa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Muroran line 20161230173321 (31362456194), inunami, CC BY 2.0
- Boarding the Ferry Blue Grace at Muroran, 掬茶, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Muroran Minposha headquarter, Heisei shinkan, 妖精書士 This photo was taken with NEC Medias X N-06E, CC0
- Muroran Minposha headquarter, Showa honkan, 妖精書士, CC0
- Hakucho Bridge 9086532 2, Hiroshi Nakai, CC BY 2.0
- Mt. Sokuryozan, 欅 (Keyaki), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Moto-Wanishi Parking Area - For Hakodate, Him56, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CAPE CHIKYU, Highten31, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hokkaido Muroran Technical High school, 欅 (Keyaki), CC BY-SA 3.0
- MuroranSakaeHighSchool, Asasa198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hokkaido Muroran Shimizugaoka Highschool, 欅 (Keyaki), CC BY-SA 3.0
- 室蘭市青少年科学館, K, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Muroran Aquarium(40848993613), bryan..., CC BY-SA 2.0
- MuroranGH, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nikko Memorial Hospital, アラツク, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mt Bokoifuji, Highten31, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CoopSapporo Lucy, 100yen 03:00, 9 January 2008 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shinnittetsu muroran hospital, shinmurohos, GFDL
- Muroran irie2, Waka77, Public domain
- Muroran kiran06, Higa4, CC0
- Co-op Sapporo main office, 禁樹なずな, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 市立室蘭水族館観覧車, Punkssand, CC0
- Hokkaido Muroran Tosho High School, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Muroran YH 2011, Soica2001 ( talk ), Public domain
- Plat Tetsuichi, Sinryow, CC BY 4.0
- 母恋駅 - panoramio (2), くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 母恋駅 - panoramio, くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 母恋駅 - panoramio (3), くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 母恋駅 - panoramio (1), くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 母恋駅 - panoramio (4), くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 母恋南町二丁目付近の風景 - panoramio, くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 室蘭駅前の風景 - panoramio (1), くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 室蘭駅前の風景 - panoramio, くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 室蘭駅 - panoramio (1), くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 室蘭駅 - panoramio (3), くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- 室蘭駅 - panoramio, くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- チャラッナイ橋からの風景 - panoramio, くろふね, CC BY 3.0
- AEON Muroran, Sinryow, CC BY 4.0
Page built November 5, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.

