Miya River (Mie)
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| Miya River | |
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| Origin | Mount Ōdaigahara |
| Mouth | Ise Bay |
| Basin countries | Japan |
| Length | 91 km |
| Source elevation | 1695 m |
| Avg. discharge | 36.3 m³/s |
| Basin area | 920 km² |
The Miya River (宮川 Miya-gawa?) is a major river that flows through central Mie Prefecture on the island of Honshū, Japan. It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the Japanese government and is one of four Class 1 rivers in Mie.
The river's source is on Mount Ōdaigahara in the town of Ōdai, Mie Prefecture. It then flows northeast-wards down the mountain and passes through a number of dams before reaching the tea fields of central Mie and finally passes through the city of Ise before reaching its delta and flowing into Ise Bay.
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[edit] Course
[edit] Flooding
The areas through which the Miya River flows, especially the Ōsugi Valley near the source, see a considerable amount of rain each year and thus the Miya River is very prone to flooding. Even with modern flood prevention, minor damage from flooding is still seen along parts of the river each year.
Flooding from the river was so severe that it was one of the first rivers in Japan to receive a floodbank during the Edo era. The magistrate in Yamada (now Ise) during the Tokugawa Shogunate felt that the river needed to be controlled because of its proximity to Ise Grand Shrine, and thus ordered construction to be done on the river. This alteration was very effective in stopping flood damage however a bridge across the river was not completed until the Meiji era. The only significant flooding in recent history was the result of typhoon #21 in 2004.
[edit] Wildlife
The Miya River is home to over 90 different species of wildlife. There are fishing operations along the river for some of these fish, including eel (unagi) and sweetfish (ayu).
[edit] Recreation
Other than fishing, the Miya River and its banks provides some recreational opportunities.
Near the source, the river flows through the Ōsugi Valley, which is officially listed as one of the top three ravines in Japan for sight-seeing.
Further down the river, there are some parks along the riverbanks. There are cherry blossom parks in both Watarai and Ise, with the one in Ise having the most sakura trees in all of Mie. Many people have cherry blossom viewing parties here during the blooming season in early April. Also, near the Ise park, a firework contest is held each July. Close to the mouth there is a park for sports, jogging, picnicking, and other recreation.
[edit] References
- (Japanese) Wikipedia - Miya River
