() is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan and a part of the Aomori metropolitan area. , the town had an estimated population of 10,460 in 4,860 households, and a population density of 48 persons per km². It is the most heavily populated town in Higashitsugaru District. The total area of the town is . Etymology The name Hiranai is thought to have originated from the Ainu who originally inhabited the area. The Ainu words for and are said to be the original name of the area, due to its geography as a river valley in the interior of the mountainous Natsudomari Peninsula. However, the current Japanese pronunciation and meaning of the town's name, is descriptive of the valley, but is based on the flat area inside of the mountains or the bay that surrounds it. History During the Edo period, Hiranai was a village. On 17 September 1656, the village became part of Kuroishi Domain controlled by the Tsugaru clan. Up to the middle of the Edo period, the isolated areas of Hiranai were some of the last sanctuaries for the Ainu people in Honshu. However, they were assimilated into the rest of the population by pushes made by the ruling Tsugaru clan in 1756 and 1809. In July 1871, with the abolition of the han system, Kuroishi Domain briefly became Kuroishi Prefecture, and was merged into the newly created Aomori Prefecture in September 1871. During the cadastral reform of 1889, Natsudomari Peninsula was divided into the three villages of Naka-Hiranai, Nishi-Hiranai, and Higashi-Hiranai. On 1 October 1928, Naka-Hiranai became a town, renaming itself Kominato. 1939 to present Nishi-Hiranai village's train station, Nishi-Hiranai Station opened in 1939. The station was built to provide access to the Aomori Sanatorium, a facility to treat the soldiers who were injured during the Second Sino-Japanese War and later, the Pacific War. The climate of Natsudomari Peninsula and the proximity to Asamushi Onsen was of benefit to the wounded soldiers. After the end of hostilities, the sanatorium was closed. On 15 July 1945, four seaplanes of the Imperial Japanese Army's Giretsu Kuteitai docked off the east coast of Natsudomari Peninsula were bombed. Off the northern coast of the peninsula a ship was sunk, killing 3 and leaving 9 injured. On the 9th and 10 August of the same year Grumman TBF Avengers bombed the entirety of the town and a troop transport ship,