Abukuma River

River in Tōhoku, Japan

37°09′40″N 139°58′19″E / 37.161°N 139.972°E / 37.161; 139.972 • elevation1,835 m (6,020 ft) MouthPacific Ocean

• location

Iwanuma, Miyagi, Japan

• coordinates

38°02′58″N 140°55′08″E / 38.0494°N 140.9190°E / 38.0494; 140.9190Length239 km (149 mi)Basin size5,390 km² (2,080 sq mi)Discharge • average67.3 m³/s (2,380 cu ft/s) Basin featuresPopulation1,360,000Tributaries • leftShakadō River, Sasahara River, Ōse River, Gohyaku River, Rokkaku River, Arakawa River, Matsu River, Surikami River, Shiroishi River • rightŌtakine River, Hirose River

The Abukuma River (阿武隈川, Abukuma-gawa), with a length of 234 km (145 mi), is the second longest river in the Tōhoku region of Japan and the 6th longest river in the country.^[1] It is designated as a Class A river.

It runs through Fukushima Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture, rising from springs in the peaks of the Nasu mountains, collecting water from tributaries leaving the Ōu Mountains and the Abukuma Highlands, then emptying into the Pacific Ocean as a major river. Its watershed has a 5,400 km² (2,100 sq mi) area, and about 1.36 million people live in its basin.^[2]

The Abukuma River flows north through Fukushima Prefecture's Nakadōri region, past the cities of Shirakawa, Sukagawa, Kōriyama, Nihonmatsu, Date, and Fukushima. The portion of the river flowing between Nihonmatsu and Fukushima forms a deep ravine called Hōrai-kyō (蓬莱峡).^[3] Crossing the northern edge of the long but low Abukuma hills, the Abukuma River then flows into Miyagi Prefecture, past the city of Kakuda and between Iwanuma and Watari before reaching the Pacific. Abukuma has a tributary called the Arakawa River.

Notes

^ Takeda, page 51.
^ "日本の川 - 東北 - 阿武隈川 - 国土交通省水管理・国土保全局". www.mlit.go.jp. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
^ Takeda, page 52.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abukuma River.

Takeda, Toru; Hishinuma, Tomio; Oguma, Chiyoichi; Takiguchi, R. (July 7, 2001), Fukushima - Today & Tomorrow, Aizu-Wakamatsu City: Rekishi Shunju Publishing Co., ISBN 4-89757-432-3

River systems and rivers of Japan

Rivers of Hokkaido

Sea of Japan	Ishikari River Chitose River Toyohira River Makomanai River Anano River Yūbari River Koetoi River Rumoi River Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu River Shiribetsu River Teshio River Zenibako River
Sea of Okhotsk	Abashiri River Shibetsu River Shokotsu River Tokoro River Yūbetsu River
Pacific Ocean	Akan River Kushiro River Mitsuishi River Mu River Niikappu River Saru River Shizunai River Tokachi River
Rivers of Hokkaido on Commons

Rivers of Honshu

Tōhoku region	Abukuma River Arakawa River Iwaki River Kitakami River Komagome River Koyoshi River Mabechi River Mogami River Natori River Ōhata River Oirase River Omono River Takase River Yoneshiro River
Kantō region	Arakawa River Edo River Fuji River Kanda River Kuji River Naka River Sagami River Sumida River Tama River Tone River Tsurumi River
Chūbu region	Agano River Shinano River Seki River Hime River Kurobe River Jōganji River Jinzū River Shō River Oyabe River Tedori River Kuzuryū River Fuji River Abe River Ōi River Sakawa River Tenryū River Toyo River Yahagi River Shōnai River Kiso Three Rivers Kiso River Nagara River Ibi River Kushida River Miya River Kita River Minami River
Kansai region	Choshi River Ibo River Kako River Kinokawa River Kumano River Kuzuryu River Maruyama River Muko River Yamato River Yodo River Yasu River Katsura River Kamo River Kizu River Dōton River Yura River
Chūgoku region	Asahi River Ashida River Gōnokawa River Hino River Hii River Ōta River Oze River Saba River Sendai River Takahashi River Takatsu River Tenjin River Yoshii River

Rivers of Shikoku

Aibiki River
Shimanto River
Shinmachi River
- Suketō River
- Tamiya River
- Sako River
- Sumiyoshijima River
Yoshino River
- Dōzan River

Rivers of Kyushu

Kyushu	Arie River Chikugo River Kikuchi River Kuma River Mimi River Ōno River Ōyodo River
Yaeyama Islands	Kokuba River Nakama River Urauchi River