Hiranai, Aomori
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in the Higashitsugaru District
of northeastern Aomori Prefecture
in the Tōhoku region
of Japan
. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population
of 12,470and a density
of 57.5 persons per km². Its total area was 217.00 km².
, jutting into central Mutsu Bay
. The town has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snow.
during the Edo period
. During the cadastral reform of 1889, Natsudomari Peninsula was divided into the three villages of Nakahiranai, Nishihiranai, and Higashihiranai. Nakahiranai became Kominato Town on October 1, 1928. On March 31, 1955, Kominato merged with Nishihiranai and Higashihiranai to form Hiranai Town.
. Some of the locally caught seafood include sea urchin roe, sea cucumber
, scallop
s, abalone
and squid
. Tourism also plays a role in the economy, with beaches in close proximity to the city of Aomori in summer, ski resorts in winter, and onsen
all year drawing tourists.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in the Higashitsugaru District
Higashitsugaru District, Aomori
is a district located in Aomori, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 29,235 and a density of 44.79 persons per km². The total area is 652.72 km².-Towns and villages:*Hiranai*Imabetsu*Sotogahama*Yomogita-Merger:...
of northeastern Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
in the Tōhoku region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 12,470and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 57.5 persons per km². Its total area was 217.00 km².
Geography
Hiranai occupies the Natsudomari PeninsulaPeninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
, jutting into central Mutsu Bay
Mutsu Bay
is a bay inside Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It includes three bays; Aomori Bay, Noheji Bay and Ōminato Bay. Mutsu Bay covers about 1660 km². The culture of scallops is prosperous in the bay....
. The town has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snow.
Neighbouring municipalities
- AomoriAomori, Aomoriis the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 302,068 and a density of 366 persons per km². Its total area was 824.52 km².- History :...
- NohejiNoheji, Aomoriis a town located in the Kamikita District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 14,721 and a density of 175 persons per km². Its total area was 81.61 km².-Geography:...
- TohokuTohoku, Aomoriis a town located in the Kamikita District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the village had an estimated population of 19,051 and a density of 58.3 persons per km². Its total area was 326.71 km².-Geography:...
- ShichinoheShichinohe, Aomoriis a town located in the Kamikita District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 17,445 and a density of 51.7 persons per km². Its total area was 337.23 km².-Geography:...
History
The area around Hiranai was controlled by the Nambu clan of Morioka DomainMorioka Domain
The was a han or feudal domain that encompasses present-day the middle-northern part of Iwate Prefecture and eastern part of Aomori Prefecture. It is sometimes colloquially called . The domain was tozama daimyo and was governed by the Satake clan. Its income was 100,000...
during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. During the cadastral reform of 1889, Natsudomari Peninsula was divided into the three villages of Nakahiranai, Nishihiranai, and Higashihiranai. Nakahiranai became Kominato Town on October 1, 1928. On March 31, 1955, Kominato merged with Nishihiranai and Higashihiranai to form Hiranai Town.
Economy
The economy of Hiranai is heavily dependent on commercial fishingCommercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
. Some of the locally caught seafood include sea urchin roe, sea cucumber
Sea cucumber (food)
Sea cucumbers are marine animals of the class Holothuroidea used in fresh or dried form in various cuisines.The creature and the food product is commonly known as bêche-de-mer in French, trepang in Indonesian, namako in Japanese and in the Philippines it is called balatan...
, scallop
Scallop
A scallop is a marine bivalve mollusk of the family Pectinidae. Scallops are a cosmopolitan family, found in all of the world's oceans. Many scallops are highly prized as a food source...
s, abalone
Abalone
Abalone , from aulón, are small to very large-sized edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae and the genus Haliotis...
and squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
. Tourism also plays a role in the economy, with beaches in close proximity to the city of Aomori in summer, ski resorts in winter, and onsen
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
all year drawing tourists.
Railway
- Aoimori Railway Company
- Aoimori Railway Line
- Nishi-Hiranai StationNishi-Hiranai Stationis a railway station on the Aoimori Railway Line located in the town of Hiranai, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is 23.6 rail kilometers from the terminus of the Aoimori Railway Line at Aomori Station.-History:...
, Kominato StationKominato Stationis a railway station on the Aoimori Railway Line located in the town of Hiranai, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is 27.4 rail kilometers from the terminus of the Aoimori Railway Line at Aomori Station.-History:...
, Shimizugawa StationShimizugawa Stationis a railway station on the Aoimori Railway Line located in the town of Hiranai, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is 33.4 rail kilometers from the terminus of the Aoimori Railway Line at Aomori Station.-History:...
, Karibasawa StationKaribasawa Stationis a railway station on the Aoimori Railway Line located in the town of Hiranai, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is 38.1 rail kilometers from the terminus of the Aoimori Railway Line at Aomori Station.-History:...
- Nishi-Hiranai Station
- Aoimori Railway Line