Asuka River

A river that flows through central Nara Prefecture. It originates from Mt. Takatori (584 meters) in the Ryumon Mountains, flows north between Mt. Unebi and Mt. Amenokagu in Kashihara City, and joins the Yamato River in Ando Town, Ikoma County, almost in the center of the Nara Basin. It is 28 kilometers long. In ancient times, the Asuka River was said to have been called the Asuka River from the area around Iwaido in Asuka Village to the area around Hida Town in Kashihara City. The upper reaches of the river were an ancient cultural area with many palace ruins and old shrines and temples, and are often written about in works such as the Manyoshu and Kokinshu. Currently, the river is narrow and ordinary, but it has been used for irrigation since ancient times, and the upper reaches are still clear and full of charm. One famous quote is, "This world is like an ever-changing river; yesterday's deep pools become today's rapids" (from the Kokinshu, unknown author).

[Ichiro Kikuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良県中部を流れる川。竜門(りゅうもん)山地の高取山（584メートル）に源を発し、北流して橿原(かしはら)市で畝傍山(うねびやま)と天香具山(あめのかぐやま)の間を流れ、奈良盆地のほぼ中央、生駒(いこま)郡安堵(あんど)町で大和(やまと)川に合流する。延長28キロメートル。古代にはほぼ明日香村祝戸(いわいど)付近から橿原市飛騨(ひだ)町付近までを飛鳥川と称していたといわれる。上流域は古代の文化地域で宮跡や古社寺が多く、『万葉集』『古今集』などに数多く詠まれている。現在、川幅は狭く平凡な中小河川であるが、古くから灌漑(かんがい)用水として利用されており、上流はいまなお清澄で風情に富む。「世の中はなにか常なるあすか川昨日の淵(ふち)ぞ今日は瀬になる」（『古今集』読人(よみびと)しらず）などは有名である。

［菊地一郎］

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