Kitaura

Japanese: 北浦 - きたうら

Located in the southeastern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, east of Lake Kasumigaura, this lake lies between the Namekata and Kashima plateaus, stretching from northwest to southeast in a long, narrow strip. It has an area of 35.2 ^km2 and a circumference of 64 km. It is shallow in the north and south, with a maximum depth of 10 m. It is a freshwater, eutrophic lake. The Hokota River joins the Tomoe River and flows into the lake at its northern end, and continues to Sotonasakaura in the south. Many settlements, including Hokota, have developed on the lake shore, and rice fields are cultivated in the alluvial plains. The main fisheries are isaza, crucian carp, and smelt, and carp are also farmed. It has been known as a water transportation route since the Edo period, and was used as a route for transporting goods from the Tohoku region to Edo, and as a passage for visiting Kashima and Katori Shrines. It is also used as a source of industrial water for the Kashima coastal industrial area and a water supply source, with a pumping station in Takei in the center supplying water to factories. It became a freshwater lake with the construction of the Hitachi River Watergate to prevent backflow of seawater at high tide. The JR Kashima Line and National Route 51 pass through the southern end. It is part of Suigo Tsukuba Quasi-National Park.

Kitaura

Formerly a town area in the northeast of Nobeoka City, in northern Miyazaki Prefecture. Located on the border with Oita Prefecture, facing the Hyuga Nada Sea. Established as a town in 1972, and incorporated into Nobeoka City in 2006. During the Edo period, it was the territory of the Nobeoka Domain. Most of the area is mountainous, with little arable land. Fishing is the main industry, with sardine fishing and yellowtail farming. Both the sweet osmanthus tree in Furue and the native Japanese fan palm of Takashima are designated as national natural monuments. Minamikitaura Beach in the east is scenic and belongs to the Nippori Coast Quasi-National Park.

Kitaura

In the southeastern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, the former town area in the northeastern part of Namegata City. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Kitaura. In 1955, the villages of Takeda, Tsuzumi, and Kaname merged to form Kitaura Village, which was incorporated as a town in 1997. In 2005, it merged with Aso Town and Tamatsukuri Town to form Namegata City. Mitsuba is cultivated by softening (→ yellowing treatment), and the area is known as a production area of Kitaura Mitsuba.

Kitaura

A district of Oga City in the northwest of the Oga Peninsula in the west of Akita Prefecture. Former town name. Incorporated into Oga City in 1955. It has flourished as a port town since ancient times and is the birthplace of Oga culture. It is mainly involved in agriculture and fisheries, and is a base for sightseeing such as the view of Ichinomegata and Ninomegata from Hachimadodai and the Oga hot spring resort.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

茨城県南東部，霞ヶ浦の東側で行方 (なめかた) ，鹿島両台地にはさまれ，北西から南東に細長く横たわる湖。面積 35.2km²，周囲 64km。北部と南部が浅く，最大水深は 10m。淡水の富栄養湖。巴川に鉾田川が合流して北端で流入し，南は外浪逆浦 (そとなさかうら) に続く。湖岸には鉾田をはじめ多くの集落が発達し，沖積地には水田が開ける。漁業はイサザ，フナ，ワカサギが多く，コイの養殖も行われる。江戸時代から水上交通路として知られ，東北地方から江戸への物資の輸送路や鹿島・香取神宮参拝の通路として利用された。鹿島臨海工業地域の工業用水，上水道用水源としても利用され，中部の武井に揚水機場を設けて工場に給水。満潮時の海水逆流防止を目的とした常陸川水門の建設によって淡水湖となる。南端を JR鹿島線，国道 51号線が通る。水郷筑波国定公園に属する。

北浦
きたうら

宮崎県北部，延岡市北東部の旧町域。大分県との県境にあり，日向灘に臨む。 1972年町制。 2006年延岡市に編入。江戸時代は延岡藩領。ほとんどが山地で，耕地はわずかである。水産業が中心で，イワシ漁のほかハマチの養殖が行なわれる。古江のキンモクセイおよび高島のビロウ自生地は，ともに国の天然記念物に指定されている。東部の南北浦海岸は風光よく日豊海岸国定公園に属する。