List of rivers of Japan
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 Jōganji 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.
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.
Hokkaidō[]
There are 326 rivers in Hokkaido including 13 class A river systems (1級水系 Ikkyū suikei) designated by the central government.[1][2] See also Category:Rivers of Hokkaido.
Class A rivers[]
There are 13 class A river systems as follows. Their tributaries are also listed. The class A rivers are administrated by Hokkaidō Regional Development Bureau (北海道開発局, Hokkaidō kaihatsukyoku).[1][2][3][4]
- Abashiri (網走川, Abashiri-gawa)
- Ishikari (石狩川, Ishikari-gawa)
- Kushiro (釧路川, Kushiro-gawa)
- Mu (鵡川, Mu-kawa)
- Rumoi (留萌川, Rumoi-gawa)
- Saru (沙流川, Saru-gawa)
- Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu (後志利別川, Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu-gawa)
- Shiribetsu (尻別川, Shiribetsu-gawa)
- Shokotsu (渚滑川, Shokotsu-gawa)
- Teshio (天塩川, Teshio-gawa)
- Tokachi (十勝川, Tokachi-gawa)
- Tokoro (常呂川, Tokoro-gawa)
- Yūbetsu (湧別川, Yūbetsu-gawa)
Class B rivers[]
The rivers that are classified as class B rivers.[3]
- Akan (阿寒川, Akan-gawa)
- Niikappu (新冠川, Niikappu-gawa)
- Shibetsu (標津川, Shibetsu-gawa)
- Shizunai (静内川, Shizunai-gawa)
- Koetoi (声問川, Koetoi-gawa)
- Mitsuishi (三石川, Mitsuishi-gawa)
List of rivers in Hokkaidō by length[]
The following table is a list of rivers of Hokkaidō by length.[5][citation needed]
River | Length |
---|---|
Ishikari (石狩川, Ishikari-gawa) | 268 km (167 mi) |
Teshio (天塩川, Teshio-gawa) | 256 km (159 mi) |
Tokachi (十勝川, Tokachi-gawa) | 156 km (97 mi) |
Kushiro (釧路川, Kushiro-gawa) | 154 km (96 mi) |
Yūbari (夕張川, Yūbari-gawa) | 136 km (85 mi) |
Mu (鵡川, Mu-kawa) | 135 km (84 mi) |
Shiribetsu (尻別川, Shiribetsu-gawa) | 126 km (78 mi) |
Tokoro (常呂川, Tokoro-gawa) | 120 km (75 mi) |
Abashiri (網走川, Abashiri-gawa) | 115 km (71 mi) |
Chitose (千歳川, Chitose-gawa) | 108 km (67 mi) |
Saru (沙流川, Saru-gawa) | 104 km (65 mi) |
Akan (阿寒川, Akan-gawa) | 98 km (61 mi) |
Yūbetsu (湧別川, Yūbetsu-gawa) | 87 km (54 mi) |
Shokotsu (渚滑川, Shokotsu-gawa) | 84 km (52 mi) |
Niikappu (新冠川, Niikappu-gawa) | 80 km (50 mi) |
Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu (後志利別川, Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu-gawa) | 80 km (50 mi) |
Shibetsu (標津川, Shibetsu-gawa) | 78 km (48 mi) |
Toyohira (豊平川, Toyohira-gawa) | 72.5 km (45.0 mi) |
Shizunai (静内川, Shizunai-gawa) | 69.9 km (43.4 mi) |
Rumoi (留萌川, Rumoi-gawa) | 44 km (27 mi) |
Koetoi (声問川, Koetoi-gawa) | 41.9 km (26.0 mi) |
Mitsuishi (三石川, Mitsuishi-gawa) | 31.6 km (19.6 mi) |
Makomanai (真駒内川, Makomanai-gawa) | 21 km (13 mi) |
Anano (穴の川, Ana-no-kawa) | 9.4 km (5.8 mi) |
Honshu[]
Tōhoku[]
First class rivers under the control of Tohoku Regional Bureau (東北地方整備局)
- Iwaki River (岩木川) - Aomori
- Takase River (高瀬川) - Aomori
- Mabechi River (馬淵川) - Iwate, Aomori
- Kitakami River (北上川) - Iwate, Miyagi
- Naruse River (鳴瀬川) - Miyagi
- Natori River (名取川) - Miyagi
- Abukuma River (阿武隈川) - Miyagi, Fukushima
- Yoneshiro River (米代川) - Akita, Iwate
- Omono River (雄物川) - Akita
- Koyoshi River (子吉川) - Akita
- Mogami River (最上川) - Yamagata
- Aka River (赤川) - Yamagata
Second class river
- Oirase River (奥入瀬川)
Kantō[]
First class rivers under the control of Kanto Regional Bureau (関東地方整備局)
- Kuji-gawa (久慈川) - Fukushima, Ibaraki
- Naka-gawa (那珂川) - Tochigi, Ibaraki
- Tone-gawa (利根川) - largest drainage area, and second longest of Japan; Gunma, Nagano, Tochigi, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, Ibaraki
- Edo-gawa (江戸川)
- Arakawa (荒川) - Saitama, Tokyo
- Sumida-gawa (隅田川)
- Kanda-gawa (神田川)
- Tama-gawa (多摩川) - Yamanashi, Tokyo, Kanagawa
- Tsurumi-gawa (鶴見川) - Tokyo, Kanagawa
- Sagami-gawa (相模川) - Yamanashi, Kanagawa
- Fuji-kawa (富士川) - Nagano, Yamanashi, Shizuoka
Hokuriku[]
First-class rivers under the control of Hokuriku Regional Bureau (北陸地方整備局)
- Ara River (荒川) - Yamagata, Niigata
- Agano River (阿賀野川) - Fukushima, Gunma, Niigata
- Shinano River (信濃川) - Nagano, Gunma, Niigata
- Seki River (関川) - Nagano, Niigata
- Hime River (姫川) - Nagano, Niigata
- Kurobe River (黒部川) - Toyama
- Jōganji River (常願寺川) - Toyama
- Jinzū River (神通川) - Gifu, Toyama
- Shō River (庄川) - Gifu, Toyama
- Oyabe River (小矢部川) - Ishikawa, Toyama
- Tedori River (手取川) - Ishikawa
- Kakehashi River (梯川) - Ishikawa
Chūbu[]
Rivers that flow into the Sea of Japan:
- Agano-gawa (阿賀野川) - Niigata, Fukushima, Gunma
- Shinano-gawa (信濃川) or Chikuma-gawa (千曲川) - longest of Japan
- Seki-kawa (関川) - Nagano, Niigata
- Hime-kawa (姫川) - Nagano, Niigata
- Kurobe-gawa (黒部川) - Toyama
- Jōganji-gawa (常願寺川) - Toyama
- Jinzū-gawa (神通川) - Gifu, Toyama
- Shō-gawa (庄川) - Gifu, Toyama
- Oyabe-gawa (小矢部川) - Toyama, Ishikawa
- Tedori-gawa (手取川) - Ishikawa
- Kuzuryū-gawa (九頭竜川) - Gifu, Fukui
Rivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean:
- Fuji-kawa (富士川) - Nagano, Yamanashi, Shizuoka
- Abe-kawa (安倍川) - Shizuoka
- Ōi-gawa (大井川) - Shizuoka
- Sakawa River (酒匂川) - Shizuoka, Kanagawa
- Tenryū-gawa (天竜川) - Nagano, Aichi, Shizuoka
- Toyo-gawa (豊川) - Aichi
- Yahagi-gawa (矢作川) - Nagano, Gifu, Aichi
- Shōnai-gawa (庄内川) - Gifu, Aichi
- Kiso-gawa (木曽川) - Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, Mie
- Nagara-gawa (長良川) - Gifu, Aichi, Mie
- Ibi-gawa (揖斐川) -Gifu, Mie
- Kushida-gawa (櫛田川) - Mie
- Miya-gawa (宮川) - Mie
First class rivers under control of Chubu Regional Bureau (中部地方整備局)
- Kano-gawa (狩野川) - Shizuoka
- Abe-kawa (安倍川) - Shizuoka
- Ōi-gawa (大井川) - Shizuoka
- Kiku-gawa (菊川) - Shizuoka
- Tenryū-gawa (天竜川) - Nagano, Aichi, Shizuoka
- Toyo-gawa (豊川) - Aichi
- Yahagi-gawa (矢作川) - Nagano, Gifu, Aichi
- Shōnai-gawa (庄内川) - Gifu, Aichi
- Kiso-gawa (木曽川) - Nagano, Gifu, Shiga, Aichi, Mie
- Suzuka-gawa (鈴鹿川) - Mie
- Kumozu-gawa (雲出川) - Mie
- Kushida-gawa (櫛田川) - Mie
- Miya-gawa (宮川) - Mie
Kansai[]
The first class rivers under the control of Kinki Regional Bureau (近畿地方整備局)
- Kuzuryu-gawa (九頭竜川) - Fukui
- Kita-gawa (北川) - Shiga, Fukui
- Yura-gawa (由良川) - Hyogo, Kyoto
- Yodo-gawa (淀川), Seta-gawa (瀬田川) or Uji-gawa (宇治川)
- Yasu-gawa (野洲川)
- Katsura-gawa (桂川), Hozu-gawa (保津川) or Ōi-gawa (大堰川)
- Kamo-gawa (鴨川)
- Kizu-gawa (木津川)
- Dōton-bori (道頓堀)
- Yamato-gawa (大和川) - Nara, Osaka
- Maruyama-gawa (円山川) - Hyogo
- Kako-gawa (加古川) - Hyogo
- Ibo-gawa (揖保川) - Hyogo
- Ki-no-kawa (紀ノ川, 紀の川) - Nara, Wakayama
- Yamato-gawa (大和川) - Nara, Osaka
- Kumano-gawa (熊野川) or Shingu-gawa (新宮川) - Nara, Mie, Wakayama
The second class river
- Muko-gawa (武庫川)
Chūgoku[]
There are 13 Class A river systems in Chūgoku Region, which are under control of Chugoku Regional Bureau (中国地方整備局).[6] See also Category:Rivers of Tottori Prefecture, Category:Rivers of Shimane Prefecture, Category:Rivers of Hiroshima Prefecture, Category:Rivers of Okayama Prefecture and Category:Rivers of Yamaguchi Prefecture.
- Sendai River (千代川) - Tottori
- Tenjin River (天神川) - Tottori
- Hino River (日野川) - Tottori
- Hii River (斐伊川) - Shimane, Tottori
- Gō-no-kawa, or Gō-gawa (江の川, 江川) - Hiroshima, Shimane
- Takatsu River (高津川) - Shimane
- Yoshii River (吉井川) - Okayama
- Asahi River (旭川) - Okayama
- Takahashi River (高梁川) - Hiroshima, Okayama
- Ashida River (芦田川) - Okayama, Hiroshima
- Ōta-gawa (太田川) - Hiroshima
- Oze River (小瀬川) - Hiroshima, Yamaguchi
- Saba River (佐波川) - Yamaguchi
Shikoku[]
First class rivers under control of Shikoku Regional Bureau (四国地方整備局)
- Yoshino-gawa (吉野川) - Kochi, Ehime, Tokushima, Kagawa
- Naka-gawa (那賀川) - Tokushima
- Doki-gawa (土器川) - Kagawa
- Shigenobu-gawa (重信川) - Ehime
- Hiji-kawa (肱川) - Ehime
- Monobe-kawa (物部川) - Kochi 6
- Niyodo-gawa (仁淀川) - Ehime, Kochi
- Shimanto-gawa (四万十川) - Ehime, Kochi
Kyūshū[]
First class rivers under control of Kyushu Regional Bureau (九州地方整備局)
- Onga-gawa (遠賀川) - Fukuoka
- Yamakuni-gawa (山国川) - Oita, Fukuoka
- Chikugo-gawa (筑後川) - Kumamoto, Oita, Fukuoka, Saga
- Yabe-gawa (矢部川) - Fukuoka
- Matsuura-gawa (松浦川) - Saga
- Rokkaku-gawa (六角川) - Saga
- Kase-gawa (嘉瀬川) - Saga
- Honmyo-gawa (本明川) - Nagasaki
- Kikuchi-gawa (菊池川) - Kumamoto
- Shira-kawa (白川) - Kumamoto
- Midori-gawa (緑川) - Kumamoto
- Kuma-gawa (球磨川) - Kumamoto
- Ōita-gawa (大分川) - Ōita
- Oono-gawa (大野川) - Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Ōita
- Banjo-gawa (番匠川) - Ōita
- Gokase-gawa (五ヶ瀬川) - Kumamoto, Ōita, Miyazaki
- Omaru-gawa (小丸川) - Miyazaki
- Ōyodo-gawa (大淀川) - Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki
- Sendai-gawa (川内川) - Miyazaki, Kagoshima
- Kimotsuki-gawa (肝属川, 肝付川) - Kagoshima
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "河川概要 北海道開発局" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "一級河川水系別延長等" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "北海道河川一覧図 - 北海道庁" (PDF) (in Japanese). Hokkaido Prefecture. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ "穴の川遊砂地 北海道開発局" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ "2006 Hokkaido Statistics" (PDF). Hokkaido Government. 2006. Retrieved 2009-04-07.[dead link]
- ^ "1級水系" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- 全国109の一級水系 (109 of first class rivers; by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan)
- 一級水系の河川整備基本方針策定状況(平成21年3月6日現在)(you can see where first class rivers are)
External links[]
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- Rivers of Japan - Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
- Rivers of Japan
- Lists of rivers by country
- Lists of landforms of Japan