Kitakami River
Encyclopedia
The is the fourth largest river in Japan and the largest in the Tōhoku region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....

. It is 249 kilometers long and drains an area of 10,150 square kilometers. It flows through mostly rural areas of Iwate
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...

 and Miyagi
Miyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...

 Prefectures. The river is unusual in that it has two mouths, one flowing south into Ishinomaki Bay and the other flowing east into the Pacific Ocean, both in Ishinomaki City. Another unusual feature is that there are no dams from its mouth to the Shijushida Dam north of Morioka. This allows for a spectacular salmon run every fall.

Tributaries

In Iwate Prefecture from north to south showing from which direction the water flows and the city where it empties into the Kitakami River.
  • Tanto-gawa - from the east (Iwate
    Iwate, Iwate
    is a town located in Iwate District, Iwate, Japan, 40° latitude.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 18,264. The total area is 360.55 km²....

    )
  • Matsu-gawa - from the west (Hachimantai
    Hachimantai, Iwate
    is a city located in Iwate, Japan.Hachimantai was founded on September 1, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Ashiro and Nishine and the village of Matsuo, all from Iwate District....

    )
  • Nakatsu River
    Nakatsu River
    The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It flows through the city of Morioka, where it enters the Kitakami River....

     - from the east (Morioka
    Morioka, Iwate
    is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....

    )
  • Shizukuishi River
    Shizukuishi River
    The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The Shizukuishi River rises in the Ōu Mountains just south of Mt. Akita Komagatake in Shizukuishi and empties into the Kitakami River in Morioka. The Gosho Dam is situated on the Shizukuishi River, in western Morioka. This dam was completed in 1981...

     - from the west (Morioka
    Morioka, Iwate
    is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....

    )
  • Iwasaki-gawa - from the west (Shiwa
    Shiwa, Iwate
    is a town located in Shiwa District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 33,744 and a population density of 141.17 persons per km². The total area is 239.03 km².-External links:*...

    )
  • Takina-gawa - from the west (Shiwa
    Shiwa, Iwate
    is a town located in Shiwa District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 33,744 and a population density of 141.17 persons per km². The total area is 239.03 km².-External links:*...

    )
  • Kuzumaru-gawa - from the west (Hanamaki
    Hanamaki, Iwate
    is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

    )
  • Hienuki-gawa - from the east (Hanamaki
    Hanamaki, Iwate
    is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

    )
  • Sarugaishi River
    Sarugaishi River
    The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The Sarugaishi River rises in the Kitakami Mountains just south of Mt. Yakushi in Tōno and empties into the Kitakami River in Hanamaki. The Tase Dam is situated on the Sarugaishi River, in eastern Hanamaki in the former town of Towa. This dam was completed...

     - from the east (Hanamaki
    Hanamaki, Iwate
    is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

    )
  • Se-gawa - from the west (Hanamaki
    Hanamaki, Iwate
    is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

    )
  • Toyosawa-gawa - from the west (Hanamaki
    Hanamaki, Iwate
    is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

    )
  • Waga River
    Waga River
    The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. From its headwaters near Mt. Waga in the Ōu Mountains it flows from north to south through the entire length of Nishiwaga Town before turning east through Kitakami City. The River enters the Kitakami River on the south side of the city opposite Mt...

     - from the west (Kitakami
    Kitakami, Iwate
    is a city located in Iwate Prefecture on the main island of Japan.- History :The first city of Kitakami was founded on April 1, 1954.The current and the second city of Kitakami was founded on April 1, 1991 when the first city merged with the villages of Ezuriko and Waga .- Sightseeing :The city is...

    )
  • Isawa River
    Isawa River
    The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. For about half its length it marks the border between Kanegasaki Town and Ōshū City. The river's origin is in the Ōu Mountains just west of Mt. Yakeishi . At its highest point it is called the and flows south until it crosses National Route 397...

     - from the west (Ōshū
    Oshu, Iwate
    is the second largest city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan with a population of 127,804.The city was founded on February 20, 2006, as the result of a merger between the cities of Esashi and Mizusawa, the towns of Maesawa and Isawa and the village of Koromogawa from Isawa District...

    )
  • Hirose-gawa - from the east (Ōshū
    Oshu, Iwate
    is the second largest city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan with a population of 127,804.The city was founded on February 20, 2006, as the result of a merger between the cities of Esashi and Mizusawa, the towns of Maesawa and Isawa and the village of Koromogawa from Isawa District...

    )
  • Hitokabe-gawa - from the east (Ōshū
    Oshu, Iwate
    is the second largest city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan with a population of 127,804.The city was founded on February 20, 2006, as the result of a merger between the cities of Esashi and Mizusawa, the towns of Maesawa and Isawa and the village of Koromogawa from Isawa District...

    )
  • Koromo-gawa - from the west (Hiraizumi
    Hiraizumi, Iwate
    is a town located in Nishiiwai District, Iwate, Japan. It was the home of the Hiraizumi Fujiwaras for about 100 years in the late Heian era and most of the following Kamakura period. At the same time it served as the de facto capital of Oshu, an area containing nearly a third of the Japanese land...

    )
  • Iwai-gawa - from the west (Ichinoseki
    Ichinoseki, Iwate
    is a city located towards the south of Iwate Prefecture, Japan and situated on the Iwai River. After Morioka and Ōshū, it is the third largest city in the prefecture.-Description:...

    )
  • Kitetsu-gawa - from the north (Ichinoseki
    Ichinoseki, Iwate
    is a city located towards the south of Iwate Prefecture, Japan and situated on the Iwai River. After Morioka and Ōshū, it is the third largest city in the prefecture.-Description:...

    )
  • Senmaya-gawa - from the east (Ichinoseki
    Ichinoseki, Iwate
    is a city located towards the south of Iwate Prefecture, Japan and situated on the Iwai River. After Morioka and Ōshū, it is the third largest city in the prefecture.-Description:...

    )
  • Kinomi-gawa - from the east (Fujisawa
    Fujisawa, Iwate
    was a town located in Higashiiwai District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 10,057 and a density of 81.64 persons per km². The total area was 123.15 km²....

    )
  • Kinryu-gawa - from the west (Ichinoseki
    Ichinoseki, Iwate
    is a city located towards the south of Iwate Prefecture, Japan and situated on the Iwai River. After Morioka and Ōshū, it is the third largest city in the prefecture.-Description:...

    )

External links

38.576719°N 141.460111°W (mouth)
38.407483°N 141.313667°W (former mouth)
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK