Hirakawa is a city located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 January 2023, the city had an estimated population of 30,086 in 14,181 households, and a population density of 89 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 346.01 square kilometres (133.60 sq mi).

The Ōu Main Line is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company. It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yamagata section is sometimes referred to as the Yamagata Line. The name of the line as a whole refers to the ancient provinces of Mutsu (陸奥) and Dewa (出羽), as it connects both ends of Mutsu by passing north–south through Dewa.