Hachinohe, city in northern Japan, on northern Honshu Island, in eastern Aomori Prefecture. Situated on the Pacific Ocean, Hachinohe is known for its cuttlefish and mackerel fishing, and for the processing of marine products. Manufacturing and processing facilities for steel, food, cement, chemicals, and paper form an industrial belt around the city.
During the Edo period (1603-1867) Hachinohe was a castle town, or administrative headquarters, of the Nambu family, who were daimyo (feudal lords) under the Tokugawa shogunate. The people of Hachinohe and the surrounding area still practice ancient local customs, such as performing rituals to repel insects. During Bon, a Buddhist festival honoring the spirits of ancestors, mediums perform rites to communicate with the dead. The Emburi Festival, which originated as a ceremony for farmers praying for a good harvest in the coming year, is held in the city every February. Population (1999) 244,151.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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