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.

Hokkaidō[edit]

There are 326 rivers in Hokkaido, including 13 class A river systems (1級きゅう水系すいけい or 一いち級きゅう河川かせん, ikkyū suikei) designated by the central government.^[1]^[2] The class A rivers are administered by Hokkaidō Regional Development Bureau (北海道開発ほっかいどうかいはつ局きょく, Hokkaidō kaihatsukyoku). There are six class B river systems.^[3]

The following table lists the of rivers of Hokkaidō by length. Use the column headers to sort by name, class, or tributary status.

River name	Length	Class	Tributary of	Refs
Ishikari (石狩川いしかりがわ, Ishikari-gawa)	268 km (167 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Teshio (天塩川てしおがわ, Teshio-gawa)	256 km (159 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Tokachi (十勝とかち川がわ, Tokachi-gawa)	156 km (97 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Kushiro (釧路くしろ川がわ, Kushiro-gawa)	154 km (96 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Yūbari (夕張川ゆうばりがわ, Yūbari-gawa)	136 km (85 mi)	A	Ishikari	^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Mu (鵡川むかわ, Mu-kawa)	135 km (84 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Shiribetsu (尻別川しりべつかわ, Shiribetsu-gawa)	126 km (78 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Tokoro (常呂川ところがわ, Tokoro-gawa)	120 km (75 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Abashiri (網走川あばしりがわ, Abashiri-gawa)	115 km (71 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Chitose (千歳川ちとせがわ, Chitose-gawa)	108 km (67 mi)	A	Ishikari	^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Saru (沙流川さるかわ, Saru-gawa)	104 km (65 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Akan (阿寒川あかんがわ, Akan-gawa)	98 km (61 mi)	B		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Yūbetsu (湧別川ゆうべつがわ, Yūbetsu-gawa)	87 km (54 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Shokotsu (渚滑川しょこつがわ, Shokotsu-gawa)	84 km (52 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Niikappu (新冠川にいかっぷがわ, Niikappu-gawa)	80 km (50 mi)	B		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu (後志利別川しりべしとしべつがわ, Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu-gawa)	80 km (50 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Shibetsu (標津川しべつがわ, Shibetsu-gawa)	78 km (48 mi)	B		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Toyohira (豊平川とよひらがわ, Toyohira-gawa)	72.5 km (45.0 mi)	A	Ishikari	^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Shizunai (静内川しずないがわ, Shizunai-gawa)	69.9 km (43.4 mi)	B		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Rumoi (留萌川るもいがわ, Rumoi-gawa)	44 km (27 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Koetoi (声問川こえといかわ, Koetoi-gawa)	41.9 km (26.0 mi)	B		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Mitsuishi (三石川みついしがわ, Mitsuishi-gawa)	31.6 km (19.6 mi)	B		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Shikiu (敷生川しきうがわ, Shikiu-gawa)	22.8 km (14.2 mi)	A		^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Makomanai (真駒内川まこまないかわ, Makomanai-gawa)	21 km (13 mi)	A	Toyohira	^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]
Anano (穴あなの川かわ, Ana-no-kawa)	9.4 km (5.8 mi)	A	Toyohira	^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Honshu[edit]

Rivers are listed by length. Columns can also be sorted by name, class, and tributary status.

River name	Length	Class	Tributary of	Refs
Shinano (信濃川しなのがわ, Shinano-gawa)	367 km (228 mi)	A		^[5]
Tone (利根川とねがわ, Tone-gawa)	322 km (200 mi)	A		^[5]
Kitakami (北上川きたかみがわ, Kitakami-gawa)	249 km (155 mi)	A		^[5]
Abukuma (阿武隈川あぶくまがわ, Abukuma-gawa)	239 km (149 mi)	A		^[5]
Kiso (木曽川きそがわ, Kiso-gawa)	229 km (142 mi)	A		^[5]
Mogami (最上川もがみがわ, Mogami-gawa)	229 km (142 mi)	A		^[5]
Tenryū (天竜川てんりゅうがわ, Tenryū-gawa)	213 km (132 mi)	A		^[5]
Agano (阿賀野川あがのがわ, Agano-gawa)	210 km (130 mi)	A		^[5]
Gōnokawa (江ごうの川かわ or 江川えがわ, -gawa) Enokawa River (可愛川えのかわ, Eno-kawa)	194 km (121 mi)	A		^[5]
Kumano (熊野川くまのがわ, Kumano-gawa) Shingu River (新宮しんぐう川がわ, Shingu-gawa)	183 km (114 mi)	A		^[5]
Arakawa (荒川あらかわ, Arakawa)	173 km (107 mi)	A		^[5]
Ōi (大井川おおいがわ, Ōi-gawa)	168 km (104 mi)	A		^[5]
Nagara (長良川ながらがわ, Nagara-gawa)	166 km (103 mi)	A		^[5]
Hii (斐伊川ひいかわ, Hii-gawa)	153 km (95 mi)	A		^[5]
Naka (那珂川なかがわ, Naka-gawa)	150 km (93 mi)	A		^[5]
Yura (由良川ゆらがわ, -gawa)	146 km (91 mi)	A		^[5]
Asahi (旭川あさひかわ, Asahi-gawa)	142 km (88 mi)	A		^[5]
Mabechi (馬淵川まべちがわ, Mabechi-gawa)	142 km (88 mi)	A		^[5]
Tama (多摩川たまがわ, Tama-gawa)	138 km (86 mi)	A		^[5]
Kinokawa (紀ノ川きのかわ or 紀きの川かわ) Yoshino River (吉野川よしのがわ, Yoshino-kawa)	136 km (85 mi)	A		^[5]
Yoneshiro (米代川よねしろがわ, Yoneshiro-gawa)	136 km (85 mi)	A		^[5]
Omono (雄物川おものがわ, Omono-gawa)	133 km (83 mi)	A		^[5]
Yoshii (吉井川よしいがわ, Yoshii-gawa)	133 km (83 mi)	A		^[5]
Fuji (富士川ふじかわ, Fuji-kawa)	128 km (80 mi)	A		^[5]
Kuji (久慈川くじがわ, Kuji-gawa)	124 km (77 mi)	A		^[5]
Ibi (揖斐川いびがわ, Ibi-gawa)	121 km (75 mi)	A		^[5]
Jinzū (神通川じんづうがわ, Jinzū-gawa)	120 km (75 mi)	A		^[5]
Yahagi (矢作川やはぎかわ, Yahagi-gawa)	117 km (73 mi)	A		^[5]
Kuzuryū (九頭竜川くずりゅうがわ, Kuzuryū-gawa)	116 km (72 mi)	A		^[5]
Shō (庄川しょうがわ, Shō-gawa)	115 km (71 mi)	A		^[5]
Takahashi (高こう梁川りょうせん, Takahashi-gawa)	111 km (69 mi)	A		^[5]
Sagami (相模さがみ川がわ, Sagami-gawa)	109 km (68 mi)	A		^[5]
Katsura (桂川かつらがわ, Katsura-gawa) Ōi River (大堰川おおいがわ, Ōi-gawa)	107 km (66 mi)	A	Yodo	^[5]
Ōta (太田おおた川がわ, Ōta-gawa)	103 km (64 mi)	A		^[5]
Iwaki (岩木川いわきがわ, Iwaki-gawa)	102 km (63 mi)	A		^[5]
Kizu (木津川きづがわ, Kizu-gawa)	99 km (62 mi)	A	Yodo	^[5]
Kako (加古川かこがわ, Kako-gawa)	96 km (60 mi)	A		^[5]
Shōnai (庄内川しょうないがわ, Shōnai-gawa)	96 km (60 mi)	A		^[5]
Miya (宮川みやがわ, Miya-gawa)	91 km (57 mi)	A		^[5]
Naruse (鳴瀬川なるせがわ, Naruse-gawa)	89 km (55 mi)	A		^[5]
Ashida (芦田川あしたがわ, Ashida-gawa)	86 km (53 mi)	A		^[5]
Kurobe (黒部川くろべがわ, Kurobe-gawa)	85 km (53 mi)	A		^[5]
Kushida (櫛田川くしだがわ, Kushida-gawa)	85 km (53 mi)	A		^[5]
Takatsu (高津川たかつがわ, Takatsu-gawa)	81 km (50 mi)	A		^[5]
Hino (日野川ひのかわ, Hino-gawa)	77 km (48 mi)	A		^[5]
Toyo (豊川とよかわ, Toyo-gawa)	77 km (48 mi)	A		^[5]
Yodo (淀川よどがわ, Yodo-gawa) Seta River (瀬田川せたがわ, Seta-gawa) Uji River (宇治川うじがわ, Uji-gawa)	75 km (47 mi)	A		^[5]
Ara (荒川あらかわ, Ara-kawa)	73 km (45 mi)	A		^[5]
Tedori (手取川てどりがわ, Tedori-gawa)	72 km (45 mi)	A		^[5]
Aka (赤川あかがわ, Aka-gawa)	70 km (43 mi)	A		^[5]
Ibo (揖保川いぼがわ, Ibo-gawa)	69.75 km (43.34 mi)	A		^[5]
Maruyama (円山川まるやまがわ, Maruyama-gawa)	68 km (42 mi)	A		^[5]
Oyabe (小矢部川おやべがわ, Oyabe-gawa)	68 km (42 mi)	A		^[5]
Yamato (大和やまと川がわ, Yamato-gawa)	68 km (42 mi)	A		^[5]
Oirase (奥入瀬川おいらせがわ, Oirase-gawa)	67 km (42 mi)	B
Muko (武庫川むこがわ, Muko-gawa)	66 km (41 mi)	A		^[5]
Yasu (野洲川やすがわ, Yasu-gawa)	65.25 km (40.54 mi)	A	Yodo	^[5]
Seki (関川せきかわ, -gawa)	64 km (40 mi)	A		^[5]
Takase (高瀬川たかせがわ, Takase-gawa)	63.7 km (39.6 mi)	A		^[5]
Koyoshi (子吉川こよしがわ, Koyoshi-gawa)	61 km (38 mi)	A		^[5]
Hime (姫川ひめかわ, Hime-gawa)	60 km (37 mi)	A		^[5]
Edo (江戸川えどがわ, Edo-gawa)	59.5 km (37.0 mi)	A	Tone	^[5]
Oze (小瀬川おぜがわ, Oze-gawa) Kono River (木野川きのかわ, Kono-gawa)	59 km (37 mi)	A		^[5]
Saba (佐波川さばがわ, Saba-gawa)	57 km (35 mi)	A		^[5]
Jōganji (常願寺川じょうがんじがわ, Jōganji-gawa)	56 km (35 mi)	A		^[5]
Kumozu (雲出川くもずがわ, Kumozu-gawa)	55 km (34 mi)	A		^[5]
Natori (名取川なとりがわ, Natori-gawa)	55 km (34 mi)	A		^[5]
Abe (安倍川あべかわ, Abe-kawa)	53.3 km (33.1 mi)	A		^[5]
Sendai (千代川ちよかわ, Sendai-gawa)	52 km (32 mi)	A		^[5]
Kano (狩野川かのがわ, Kano-gawa)	46 km (29 mi)	A		^[5]
Sakawa (酒匂川さかわがわ, Sakawa-gawa)	46 km (29 mi)	A		^[5]
Kakehashi (梯川かけはしがわ, Kakehashi-gawa)	42 km (26 mi)	A		^[5]
Suzuka (鈴鹿川すずかがわ, Suzuka-gawa)	40 km (25 mi)	A		^[5]
Tenjin (天神川てんじんかわ, Tenjin-gawa)	32 km (20 mi)	A		^[5]
Kamo (鴨川かもがわ, Kamo-gawa)	31 km (19 mi)	A	Yodo	^[5]
Kita (北川きたがわ, Kita-gawa)	30 km (19 mi)	A		^[5]
Kiku (菊川きくかわ, Kiku-gawa)	28 km (17 mi)	A		^[5]
Kanda (神田かんだ川がわ, Kanda-gawa)	24.6 km (15.3 mi)	A	Arakawa	^[5]
Kibishima (Kibishima-gawa)	24.1 km (15.0 mi)	A		^[5]
Sumida (隅田川すみだがわ, Sumida-gawa)	23.5 km (14.6 mi)	A	Arakawa	^[5]
Tsurumi (鶴見川つるみがわ, Tsurumi-gawa)	22 km (14 mi)	A		^[5]
Aikawa (相川あいかわ, Aikawa -gawa)	4.8 km (3.0 mi)	B
Dōtonbori (道頓堀どうとんぼり)	2.7 km (1.7 mi)	A	Yodo	^[5]

Shikoku[edit]

First class rivers under control of Shikoku Regional Bureau (四国しこく地方ちほう整備せいび局きょく)

Yoshino-gawa (吉野川よしのがわ) - Kochi, Ehime, Tokushima, Kagawa
Naka-gawa (那賀川なかがわ) - Tokushima
Doki-gawa (土器川どきがわ) - Kagawa
Shigenobu-gawa (重信川しげのぶがわ) - Ehime
Hiji-kawa (肱川ひじかわ) - Ehime
Monobe-kawa (物部川ものべがわ) - Kochi 6
Niyodo-gawa (仁淀川によどがわ) - Ehime, Kochi
Shimanto-gawa (四万十川しまんとがわ) - Ehime, Kochi

Kyūshū[edit]

First class rivers under control of Kyushu Regional Bureau (九州きゅうしゅう地方ちほう整備せいび局きょく)

Onga-gawa (遠賀川おんががわ) - Fukuoka
Yamakuni-gawa (山国川やまくにがわ) - Oita, Fukuoka
Chikugo-gawa (筑後川ちくごがわ) - Kumamoto, Oita, Fukuoka, Saga
Yabe-gawa (矢部川やべがわ) - Fukuoka
Matsuura-gawa (松浦川まつうらがわ) - Saga
Rokkaku-gawa (六ろく角川かどかわ) - Saga
Kase-gawa (嘉瀬川かせがわ) - Saga
Honmyo-gawa (本明川ほんめいがわ) - Nagasaki
Kikuchi-gawa (菊池川きくちがわ) - Kumamoto
Shira-kawa (白川しらかわ) - Kumamoto
Midori-gawa (緑川みどりかわ) - Kumamoto
Kuma-gawa (球磨川くまがわ) - Kumamoto
Ōita-gawa (大分おおいた川がわ) - Ōita
Ōno-gawa (大野川おおのかわ) - Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Ōita
Banjo-gawa (番匠川ばんじょうがわ) - Ōita
Gokase-gawa (五ヶ瀬川ごかせがわ) - Kumamoto, Ōita, Miyazaki
Omaru-gawa (小丸川おまるがわ) - Miyazaki
Ōyodo-gawa (大淀川おおよどがわ) - Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki
Sendai-gawa (川内川かわうちがわ) - Miyazaki, Kagoshima
Kimotsuki-gawa (肝属川きもつきがわ, 肝付きもつき川かわ) - Kagoshima

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z "河川かせん概要がいよう北海道ほっかいどう開発かいはつ局きょく" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z "一級河川水系別延長等" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z "北海道ほっかいどう河川かせん一覧いちらん図ず - 北海道庁ほっかいどうちょう" (PDF) (in Japanese). Hokkaido Prefecture. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y "穴あなの川かわ遊ゆう砂地すなじ北海道ほっかいどう開発かいはつ局きょく" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax ^ay ^az ^ba ^bb ^bc ^bd ^be ^bf ^bg ^bh ^bi ^bj ^bk ^bl ^bm ^bn ^bo ^bp ^bq ^br ^bs ^bt ^bu ^bv ^bw ^bx ^by ^bz ^ca ^cb ^cc "1級きゅう水系すいけい" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved December 31, 2017.

全国ぜんこく１０９の一いち級きゅう水系すいけい (109 of first class rivers; by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan)
一級いっきゅう水系すいけいの河川かせん整備せいび基本きほん方針ほうしん策定さくてい状じょう況きょう（平成へいせい21年ねん3月がつ6日にち現在げんざい）(you can see where first class rivers are)

External links[edit]

Rivers of Japan - Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
Digital data- by MLIT

[mlit2-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z "河川かせん概要がいよう北海道ほっかいどう開発かいはつ局きょく" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved December 31, 2017.

[mlit3-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z "一級河川水系別延長等" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan. Retrieved December 31, 2017.

[listrivers-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z "北海道ほっかいどう河川かせん一覧いちらん図ず - 北海道庁ほっかいどうちょう" (PDF) (in Japanese). Hokkaido Prefecture. Retrieved December 31, 2017.

[mlit-kei-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y "穴あなの川かわ遊ゆう砂地すなじ北海道ほっかいどう開発かいはつ局きょく" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan. Retrieved December 31, 2017.

[mlitikkyu-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax ^ay ^az ^ba ^bb ^bc ^bd ^be ^bf ^bg ^bh ^bi ^bj ^bk ^bl ^bm ^bn ^bo ^bp ^bq ^br ^bs ^bt ^bu ^bv ^bw ^bx ^by ^bz ^ca ^cb ^cc "1級きゅう水系すいけい" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved December 31, 2017.

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