Abukuma River
Encyclopedia
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....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the 6th longest river in Japan. It runs through Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
and Miyagi Prefecture
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...
, rising from springs in the peaks of the Nasu Mountains, collecting water from tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
leaving the Ōu Mountains
Ou Mountains
The are a mountain range in the Tōhoku region of Honshū, Japan. The range is the longest range in Japan and stretch south from the Natsudomari Peninsula of Aomori Prefecture to the Nasu volcanoes at the northern boundary of the Kantō region. Though long, the range is only about wide...
and the , then emptying into the Pacific Ocean as a major river. It has a 5,390 km² area watershed, and about 1.2 million people live along its basin.
The Abukuma River flows north through Fukushima Prefecture's Nakadōri
Nakadori
is a region comprising the middle third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The principal cities of the area are the prefectural capital Fukushima and Kōriyama.-Famous people:...
region, past the cities of Shirakawa
Shirakawa, Fukushima
is a city in Fukushima, Japan. It is located in the southern portion of the prefecture.The 2003 estimated population was 48,297 and the density in that year was 410.44 persons per km². The total area was 117.67 km²...
, Sukagawa
Sukagawa, Fukushima
is a city located in the center of Fukushima, Japan. It is famous for both its peony garden , a national scenic beauty, and its torch festival which has been hereditary for over 400 years....
, Kōriyama
Koriyama, Fukushima
is a city in the center of the Nakadōri region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of May 2011, the city had an estimated population of 336,328. The total area is 757 km²....
, Nihonmatsu
Nihonmatsu, Fukushima
is a city located in Fukushima, Japan. As of May 2011, the city has an estimated population of 59,323. The total area is 344.65 km².The city was founded on October 1, 1958.-Geography:Nihonmatsu's Western border consists of the Adatara mountain range...
and Fukushima
Fukushima, Fukushima
is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region of Japan. As of May 2011 the city has an estimated population of 290,064 and an area of 746.43 km².It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo and 80 km south of Sendai.-History:...
. The portion of the river flowing between Nihonmatsu and Fukushima forms a deep ravine called Horaikyo. Crossing the northern edge of the long but low Abukuma hills, the Abukuma River then flows into Miyagi Prefecture, past the city of Kakuda
Kakuda, Miyagi
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It was founded on October 1, 1958. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 31,905 and a population density of 216 persons per km². The total area is 147.58 km².The city's temples include Kōzō-ji....
and between Iwanuma
Iwanuma, Miyagi
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of July 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 44,379 and a population density of 731 persons per km²...
and Watari
Watari, Miyagi
is a town located in Watari District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 35,132 and a population density of 479.88 persons per km². The total area is 73.21 km²....
before reaching the Pacific. Abukuma has a tributary called the Arakawa River
Arakawa River
The is one of the principal rivers flowing through Tokyo, the capital city of Japan. The point of origin is on Mount Kobushi in Saitama Prefecture, and the Arakawa River empties into Tokyo Bay, spanning 173 kilometers. The drainage basin covers 2,940 square kilometers...
.