Hokkaido's Hidden Gem Limited-Edition Snacks! Full Introduction to KASHINAI-Limited Products – Available for Purchase Directly from Japan

I visited Utashinai City, the city with the smallest population in Japan.
Utashinai was once a prosperous town due to coal mining, but with the closure of the mines, young people moved to larger cities like Sapporo and Asahikawa, causing the town to decline.
In the late 1940s, the population exceeded 46,000, but as of 2026, it is now only about 2,500.
In addition, the town is surrounded by mountains, making it rare for new residents to move to Utashinai.
However, it's not all disadvantages; there are various unique charms, which I will introduce below.

・Limited edition products difficult to purchase in urban areas
・Overwhelming nature

Products difficult to purchase in urban areas
・Penke Utashinai (Ainu language) products

The white background with black lines is foaming soap, and the black background with white lines is facial cleanser.
"Penke" in Ainu refers to upstream, and "Utashinai" refers to Utashinai.
Even after use, the packaging design is simple yet stylish and can be reused as a container.

・Tanju (Coal Manju)

This is a confectionery made by combining "Tan" (charcoal), symbolizing Utashinai's coal, and Manju.
Its appearance is as black as coal, earning it the name of a black jewel manju.
It is a jet-black manju full of the atmosphere of a coal mining town.

☟Product Page☟
Penke Utashinai Foaming Soap (Large)

Penke Utashinai Foaming Soap (Small)

Penke Utashinai Facial Cleanser

Tanju (Coal Manju)


・Overwhelming Nature
Utashinai City is a town surrounded by mountains, with lush greenery everywhere you look.
A huge mountain range also stands behind the roadside station.
The open-air bath at the hot spring is refreshing and very comfortable.