It was formerly a prosperous coal mining city, but has declined greatly since the closing of the coal mines. The population hit a maximum of 46,000 in 1948, and has been decreasing every year since.
Efforts to transform Utashinai from a gritty coal mining town to an alpinetourist destination have met with mixed success. The town has adopted a Swiss theme as part of its tourist oriented strategy and many new buildings are Swisschalet style. A medium-sized ski hill, Kamoidake, attracts a decent crowd of locals and hosts frequent ski meets, while a hot spring resort called Tyrol, after the Austrian region, is known throughout Hokkaido for the quality of its water. However, despite these new projects, Utashinai continues to experience population decline and economic stagnation. The high school closed in 2007, with students now traveling to Sunagawa, Akabira or Takikawa for their secondary education.
As of December 31, 2020, the city had a population of 3,019, with 1,788 households, and a density of 62 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 55.99 km2. The population of Utashinai has been declining very rapidly for the past 80 years.[2]
^アイヌ語地名リスト [Ainu Language Place Name List] (PDF) (in Japanese). Office of Ainu Measures Promotion, Department of Environment and Lifestyle, Hokkaido Government. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
