Japan is an island nation located in eastern Asia. The country is known for its highly developed infrastructure and modern technology, as well as its rich culture. However, tourists who were lucky enough to visit it are mostly content with visiting the capital - Tokyo, and sightseeing cities - Kyoto, Hiroshima. Because of this, one gets the erroneous impression that all of Japan is nothing more than a modern metropolis, although the country has very picturesque nature. In particular, you should pay attention to the rivers of Japan.
General information about rivers
Due to the geographical position of Japan, the rivers here cannot boast of large sizes. There are about 260 reservoirs on the territory of the country. Basically, they originate on mountain slopes, carve out V-shaped valleys and, descending to the foot, create alluvial plains. Residents of the country use rivers to cultivate rice fields or create residential settlements near such places.
In general, the length of the rivers of Japan does not exceed 20 kilometers, the basin area averages 130 square kilometers. However, real giants for this area are located on the territory of the country.
Top 5 largest rivers in Japan
The top five largest rivers in the country are:
- The Shinano River is the most basic and longest river. Its length is 368 kilometers. The river is located on the island of Honshu, near the city of Niigata, flows into the Sea of Japan. Due to its size, Shinano is an important waterway for the island.
- The Tone River is also located on about. Honshu. Its length is 322 kilometers. The river originates at the top of Mount Ominakami. It plays a big role in the development of the tourism industry: it is suitable for water sports, one of the most famous resorts with hot springs is located on its shore.
- The Ishikari River is 268 kilometers long and is considered the main source of fresh water in Hokkaido. It starts near the foot of Ishikiyama and flows into the China Sea. The river bed is meandering.
- The Kitakami River is perhaps the largest basin in the Tohoku region. Located on the island of Honshu, the length is 249 kilometers. During the Edo period, it was used to transport the rice that was grown in its valley.
- The Abukuma River is the second longest in the Tohoku region at 239 kilometers. Its source is located on Mount Asahi. Abukuma flows into the Pacific Ocean.
Fastest
Along with large and spilling rivers, there are three fastest reservoirs:
- Mogami flows through the prefectureYamagata. The length is 216 kilometers, and the water flow is 250 m3 per second. The mouth of the river is the Sea of Japan.
- The source of the Fuji River is located on Mount Nokogiri, it ends in Suruga Bay, flowing into the Pacific Ocean. Its length is 128 kilometers. Current speed - 64 m3 per second.
- Kuma is located on the island of Kyushu. Its length is more than 115 kilometers. The current speed is 104 m3 per second. It flows into Yatsushiro Bay. It is considered the most popular place among tourists: for 1 year, about 70 thousand people visited its territory.
Interesting to know
The rivers of Japan are very different from those that can be found on the mainland: quickly descending the mountain slopes, they dissolve into the depths of the ocean. The largest rivers are used to transport timber, and river flows, which are powerful due to the difference in the height of the terrain, are a great way to generate additional electricity.
In addition to the fastest and largest rivers, the most amazing reservoirs can be identified in the country:
- Kubore is only 85 kilometers long, but the speed of the current allows it to generate electricity - 10 power plants have been built along the river. In addition, here is the highest quality water in the country.
- Ateragawa has an amazing emerald color. Its length is only 15 kilometers, but the water is so clean and transparent that you can see every pebble at the bottom.
- Kakita is one of the few rivers in Japan that originated from spring water. Its length is a little morekilometers. The water temperature is 15 degrees all year round, which is why you can see a lot of bird flocks on the banks of the reservoir.
- Oirase is known as the 27 waterfalls road. Under guard.
River banks are considered the best place to relax in Japan. Of course, during the industrial boom, some water bodies were affected by industrial waste, but today the government carefully monitors the conservation of nature.
