During Edo period when the area was controlled by the Tsugaru clan of Kuroishi Domain, what would become Kominato was the center of power for the eastern part of the Kuroishi Domain. Kominato was founded on April 1, 1889, as Nakahiranai Village. It was elevated to a town on October 1, 1928, and the town's name was officially changed to Kominato as part of the celebration of the enthronement of Emperor Hirohito. After the conclusion of the Pacific War, the point where the Morita River meets Mutsu Bay on the coast of Kominato was chosen by the Ministry of Transport as the site of a shipping port to Hakodate, Hokkaido to replace the port destroyed in Aomori City by air raids. Construction on a temporary port was completed on July 1, 1946, with services continuing until July 15, 1949. The services were cancelled because Japan National Railways assumed control of the port from the Ministry of Transport and then decided that the rebuilt port in Aomori would be more profitable than building a permanent port in Kominato. Despite losing the port's failure in turning Kominato into a transport hub, the town continued to make use the port in the scallop industry. On March 31, 1955, the town was merged with the neighboring Higashi-Hiranai and Nishi-Hiranai villages to make the currently extant town, Hiranai, with its government centered in Kominato. At the time of its merger, Kominato had a population of 9,790.
Neighboring municipalities
These were the neighboring municipalities of Kominato just before its incorporation into Hiranai.
Aomori – this part of Aomori was the village, Azumadake until 1 January 1955.
Nonai – now part of Aomori
Nishi-Hiranai – now part of Hiranai
Higashi-Hiranai – now part of Hiranai
Economy
The town once had a busy port, connecting the Japanese islandsHonshu and Hokkaido to the north by ferry; however, the ferry services were moved to Aomori by the beginning of the 20th century. They returned to Kominato after 90 percent of Aomori was destroyed by American B-29 bombers during World War II; however, the services moved once again when Aomori recovered from the air raids. Otherwise, the town had a sizable paddy field system and was known for its scallops.
Transportation
Matsumaedō – a sub-route of the Ōshū Kaidō; today it exists roughly along. Kominato-juku was the 36th of 44 shukuba along the Matsumaedō connecting Aoba Castle in Sendai Domain to Cape Tappi in Hirosaki Domain. After its creation in 1952, Route 4 bypassed central Kominato, while the old Edo-era national road went through the center of the town. Parts of that route are currently designated as Aomori Prefecture Route 9 and Route 215.
