Abugawa

A river that flows west through northern Yamaguchi Prefecture. Its drainage basin includes the Ato district in the northernmost part of Yamaguchi City, the southern part of Hagi City, and the main part of the city, and is 82.2 kilometers long. The main stream originates in the Kane Basin in the Abu Plateau near the border with Shimane Prefecture, flows gently southwest through the rice-growing Tokusa Basin, and deeply erodes the Abu Mountains, creating the Chomon Gorge (a nationally designated place of scenic beauty). It flows further northwest, and in central Hagi City it splits into the Matsumoto River and the Hashimoto River, forming a delta plain on which the old castle town of Hagi sits, before entering the Sea of ​​Japan. Its tributaries include the Hoonoki River, which was shortened by the Saba River, the Ikumo River and Sasanami River, which flow through a straight fault valley, and the Zoumeki River, whose course changed due to volcanic eruptions, making it a complex river system. The Chugoku Electric Power Company's reservoir is located on the tributary, the Sasanami River, and the Abugawa Dam, the largest in the prefecture, is located on the main stream. The Abugawa History and Folklore Museum is located in Kawakami, Hagi City, and exhibits materials related to life in the Abugawa River basin. Sweetfish fishing is popular in the basin, and icefish fishing at the mouth of the Matsumoto River is also famous.

[Hajime Miura]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

山口県北部を西流する川。山口市最北部の阿東(あとう)地区、萩(はぎ)市の南部および同市の主要部を含む範囲を流域とし、延長82.2キロメートル。本流は島根県境に近い阿武高原の嘉年(かね)盆地に発し、稲作地帯徳佐盆地を緩やかに南西へ流れ、阿武山地を深く侵食して長門(ちょうもん)峡（国指定名勝）をつくる。さらに北西流し、萩市中部で松本川と橋本川に分かれて旧城下町萩の載(の)る三角州平野を形成して日本海に入る。支流には、佐波(さば)川に争奪されて短くなった朴(ほおのき)川、直線状の断層谷を流れる生雲(いくも)川や佐々並(ささなみ)川、火山噴出で流路の変わった蔵目喜(ぞうめき)川などがあり、複雑な河系を示す。支流佐々並川に中国電力の貯水池、本流には県下最大の県営阿武川ダムがある。萩市川上に阿武川流域の生活などの資料を展示した阿武川歴史民俗資料館がある。流域ではアユ漁が盛んで、松本川河口のシロウオ漁も有名である。

［三浦　肇］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例