Urakawa

Urakawa lies on the Pacific coast of Hidaka, where rivers descend from the mountains to the sea. Its name is said to come from the Ainu Urarapet, meaning a river of deep fog. The Matsumae domain established a trading post near the mouth of the Motourakawa, dealing principally in products of the fisheries. When the shogunate assumed direct control in 1799, the post was moved east to the area that came to bear the name Urakawa, and troops of the Nanbu domain were stationed there.