Rivers of Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rivers of Japan are characterized by their relatively short lengths and considerably steep gradients due to the narrow and mountainous topography of the country. An often-cited quote is 'this is not a river, but a waterfall' by the Dutch engineer (o-yatoi gaikokujin) Johannis de Rijke who had visited the Joganji River, Toyama Prefecture. The Mogami, the Fuji and the Kuma are regarded as the three most rapid rivers of Japan.
Typical rivers of Japan rise from mountainous forests and cut out deep V-shaped valleys in their upper reaches, and form alluvial plains in their lower reaches which enable the Japanese to cultivate rice fields and to set up cities. Most rivers are dammed to supply both water and electricity.
The longest river of Japan is the Shinano, which flows from Nagano to Niigata. The Tone has the largest watershed and serves water to more than 30 million inhabitants of Tokyo metropolitan area.
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[edit] List of Rivers in Japan
The list below is in geographical order (from north to south). See also Category:Rivers of Japan for an alphabetical list.
[edit] Hokkaidō
- Ishikari (石狩川) - third longest of Japan
- Teshio (天塩川)
- Tokachi (十勝川)
[edit] Tōhoku
- Mogami (最上川)
- Omono (雄物川)
- Yoneshiro (米代川)
- Iwaki (岩木川)
- Oirase (奥入瀬川)
- Mabechi (馬淵川)
- Kitakami (北上川)
- Abukuma (阿武隈川)
[edit] Kantō
- Tone (利根川) - largest drainage area, and second longest of Japan
- Edo (江戸川)
- Arakawa (荒川)
- Tama (多摩川)
- Sagami (相模川)
[edit] Chūbu
Rivers flow into the Sea of Japan:
- Agano (阿賀野川)
- Shinano (信濃川) or Chikuma (千曲川) - longest of Japan
- Kurobe (黒部川)
- Jōganji (常願寺川)
- Jinzū (神通川)
- Shō (庄川)
- Oyabe (小矢部川)
- Tedori (手取川)
- Kuzuryū (九頭竜川)
Rivers flow into the Pacific Ocean:
- Fuji (富士川)
- Abe (安倍川)
- Ōi (大井川)
- Tenryū (天竜川)
- Toyokawa (豊川)
- Yahagi (矢作川)
- Shōnai (庄内川)
- Kiso (木曽川)
- Nagara (長良川)
- Ibi (揖斐川)
[edit] Kansai
[edit] Chūgoku
- Sendai (千代川)
- Gōnokawa (江の川)
- Takahashi (高梁川)
- Ōta (太田川)
