An optical transmission system is configured to optically transmit data from an optical transmitter to an optical receiver using a plurality of subcarriers. The optical transmitter includes a control unit configured to transmit a measurement signal using a subcarrier included in a band used for optical transmission when a signal is communicated to the optical receiver, the control unit being configured to calculate transmission characteristics obtained between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver based on the measurement signal returned from the optical receiver, and the control unit being configured to allocate, based on the transmission characteristics, a communication link to a subcarrier excellent in the transmission characteristics and least affecting transmission capacity. The optical receiver is configured to return the measurement signal received thereby to the optical transmitter.