Suttsu

Suttsu lies on the Sea of Japan coast of western Ezo, near the mouth of the Shubuto River. One explanation connects its Ainu name with a river where reeds used for arrow shafts grew. By the late eighteenth century, fishermen from farther south followed the herring shoals north along this coast. Under arrangements with the local trading contractors, visiting crews paid a share of their catch, and the fisheries became an important source of commerce.