Otaru, city in northern Japan, on the west coast of Hokkaido Island, in Hokkaido Prefecture. Otaru is situated on Ishikari Bay, an inlet of the Sea of Japan (East Sea), on the north end of Oshima Peninsula. It is about 32 km (about 20 mi) west of Sapporo, Hokkaido's largest city, to which it is connected by rail and expressway. A port city, Otaru is a center for the exporting of coal from nearby mines and many of Hokkaido's agricultural products, including apples from the nearby Yoichi area. Seafood and lumber are also exported. The city is a fishing port and a diversified industrial center. Its products include rubber goods, ski equipment, glassware, light machinery, and furniture. There are ski resorts and other recreation centers in the mountains to the south of the city. Otaru was developed in the late 19th century as a port for the coal mines of the nearby Ishikari Plain. Most of the mines have since closed. Because of reduced employment at the port and in manufacturing, the city's population has declined somewhat since the 1970s. Population (1999) 153,394.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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