Naka

Naka lies on the coast of Iwami, where the Hamada River reaches the Sea of Japan. In 1619 Furuta Shigeharu was transferred here from Matsusaka and established the Hamada domain. He chose a hill by the river for his castle, began construction the following year and completed the castle and its town in 1623. The river served as part of the castle's defenses, while the harbor supported the growth of the new town.