The has its source in the city of Gujō,

Gifu Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,910,511 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture ...

, and its mouth in the city of Kuwana,

Mie Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture an ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Along with the

Kiso River The is a river in the Chubu region of Japan roughly long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya.Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric ''et al.'' (200 ...

and

Ibi River The is a tributary of the Kiso River located in Gifu Prefecture, Gifu and Mie Prefectures in Japan. Along with the Nagara River, Nagara and Kiso rivers, the Ibi is the third of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. It is one of Japan's first ...

, the Nagara River is one of the

Kiso Three Rivers The are the three major rivers that make up the alluvial plain area of the Nōbi Plain of Japan. The three rivers are the Kiso River, the Ibi River and the Nagara River. Given their location, they are sometimes referred to as the Nōbi Three R ...

of the

Nōbi Plain The is a large plain in Japan that stretches from the Mino area of southwest Gifu Prefecture to the Owari area of northwest Aichi Prefecture and extreme northern Mie Prefecture, covering an area of approximately .

. Previously, the river was named Sunomata River (墨俣川 ''Sunomata-gawa''). With a length of , it drains an area of in the

Chūbu region The , Central region, or is a region in the middle of Honshū, Japan's main island. In a wide, classical definition, it encompasses nine prefectures (''ken''): Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, and Ya ...

and empties into

Ise Bay is a bay located at the mouth of the Kiso Three Rivers between Mie prefecture, Mie and Aichi prefecture, Aichi Prefectures in Japan. Ise Bay has an average depth of and a maximum depth of . The mouth of the bay is and is connected to the small ...

. The government of Japan classifies it as a Class 1 river.

Outline

Also, famous for being a clear-flowing river, it has been named one of the "Three Clear-Flowing Rivers in Japan," along with the Kakita River in

Shizuoka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,555,818 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Pref ...

and the

Shimanto River The is a river in western Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. 196 km in length, it has a watershed of 2,270 km2. Fisheries Since the river is remote from major cities and does not have any dams, it is sometimes referred to as "the last clear ...

Kōchi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Kōchi Prefecture has a population of 669,516 (1 April 2023) and has a geographic area of 7,103 km2 (2,742 sq mi). Kōchi Prefecture borders Ehime Prefecture to the northwest and Tok ...

. In 1985, the middle section of the Nagara River was named to "Japan's 100 Famous Waters." It was included among Japan's top bathing areas in 1988 and again in 2001. The river is also a popular tourist destination because of

Nagaragawa Onsen The are a group of onsen located along the banks of the Nagara River in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The source of the onsen are in the northern part of the city near the Mitabora Shinbutsu Onsen (三田洞神仏温泉). The group was included o ...

, a collection of natural hot springs (mostly in the city of

Gifu is a Cities of Japan, city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. Durin ...

) that are known for their high iron content.Gifu Nagaragawa Onsen
Gifu Nagaragawa Onsen and Ryokan Cooperative. Accessed June 6, 2007. Downstream, the Nagara River converges and diverges with the Kiso and Ibi rivers multiple times. Though the Nagara River is considered part of the Kiso River system, various construction projects over the years have kept the two rivers separate all the way to the mouth of the river. Other construction projects had previously changed the flow of the river, too. Up until the

Shōwa period Shōwa most commonly refers to: * Hirohito (1901–1989), the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa ** Shōwa era (昭和), the era of Hirohito from 1926 to 1989 * Showa Corporation, a Japanese suspension and shock manufactu ...

, two minor rivers diverged from the Nagara River in the heart of the city of Gifu, but construction in 1939 created the current path of the river through the system. As a result of this construction, about of land was recovered, upon which the

Gifu Memorial Center The is a collection of sports facilities located in Gifu, Gifu, Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is a prefectural facility and its purpose is to promote sports and other events within the prefecture. Along with the Nagaragawa Convention Center, ...

, schools, and other buildings were built.

Cormorant fishing

Cormorant fishing is an ancient tradition in which

cormorant Phalacrocoracidae is a family of approximately 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed, but in 2021 the International Ornithologists' Union (IOU) ado ...

s are used to catch various fish in lakes and rivers. Cormorant fishing takes place in two cities: Gifu, where it is called "

Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River has played a vital role in the history of the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Throughout its long history, it evolved from a means to live, to a profitable industry, to a major tourist draw. It runs from May 11 to October 15 of each year (ex ...

,"Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River
, Gifu City Hall. Accessed June 8, 2007. and Seki, where it is called "Oze Cormorant Fishing" (小瀬鵜飼 ''Oze Ukai''). Though eleven other places in Japan also host cormorant fishing, only the fishing masters on the Nagara River are Imperial Fishermen of the Household Agency.

River communities

The river passes through or forms the boundary of the following communities: ;Gifu Prefecture: :Gujō,

Mino Mino may refer to: Places in Japan * Mino, Gifu, a city in Gifu Prefecture * Mino, Kagawa, a former town in Kagawa Prefecture * Mino, Tokushima, a town in Tokushima Prefecture * Mino, an alternate spelling of Minoh, a city in Osaka Prefecture * Mi ...

, Seki,

Mizuho Mizuho () literally means "abundant rice" in Japanese and "harvest" in the figurative sense. It was also an Names of Japan#Other names, ancient name of Japan. It might refer to: Places * Mizuho, Gifu, a city in Gifu * Mizuho, Tokyo, a town in To ...

Ōgaki is a city located in Gifu, Japan. As of October 31, 2018, the city had an estimated population of 161,539, and a population density of 782 persons per km2 in 65,931 households. The total area of the city was . Ōgaki was the final destination fo ...

, Anpachi, Wanouchi,

Kaizu file:Kiso Sansen Park Center (2014-09-17).jpg, Kiso Sansen Park Center is a Cities of Japan, city located in Gifu Prefecture, Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 34,960, and a population density of 310 persons per km2, in 12,167 ...

;

Aichi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the ...

: :

Aisai is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,320 in 23,451 households, and a population density of 919 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Aisai is a member of the World Health Organi ...

;Mie Prefecture: :Kuwana

References

External links

(confluence with Ibi River) {{Authority control Rivers of Aichi Prefecture Rivers of Gifu Prefecture Rivers of Mie Prefecture Rivers of Japan

Outline

Cormorant fishing

River communities

See also

References

External links