Kumano River

Japanese: 熊野川 - くまのがわ

A river in the southern part of the Kii Peninsula. The main stream is the Totsugawa River, which originates in the Omine Mountains in Nara Prefecture, and when it enters Wakayama Prefecture it becomes the Kumano River. At Miyai in the northern part of Shingu City, it merges with the Kitayama River from Mie Prefecture, flows almost south along the border between Mie and Wakayama Prefectures, and empties into the Kumano Sea. It is 183 km long and is the longest river in the Kinki region. Formerly called the Shingu River, it was renamed the Kumano River in 1998. The river system is still called the Shingu River system today. It is a pre-disciplined river that cuts through the mountains and meanders, creating beautiful gorges. In particular, the Kuri Gorge between Miyai and Shingu is a scenic spot with vertical cliffs of granite porphyry with columnar joints (→ joints) on both banks, and the entire river basin belongs to Yoshino-Kumano National Park. The Totsukawa and Kitayamagawa river basins are beautiful forests of cedar and cypress, and timber was transported on the Kumano River by raft from ancient times, but this was later replaced by truck transport. Since the Heian period, the river has also been used as a pilgrimage route for pilgrims to Kumano by riverboat. The upper reaches of the river are a region of heavy rainfall with a large amount of water, and the multipurpose Saruya Dam, the power generating dams Kazeya Dam and Futatsuno Dam have been constructed there.

Kumano River

Located in the southeastern part of Wakayama Prefecture, this is the former area of central and northern Shingu City. It is located on the right bank of the Kumano River. In 1956, the four villages of Oguchi, Mitsuno, Kokonoe, and Tamakiguchi, and part of Shikiya Village were merged to form a town. In 2005, it was merged with Shingu City. Most of the area is in the Kii Mountains, and the main industry is forestry. Miyai in the east is the confluence of the Kumano River and the tributary Kitayama River. To the northeast, on the right bank of the Kitayama River, there is an exclave surrounded by Nara Prefecture and Mie Prefecture, and the coastal area of Toro Hachicho (→ Toro Gorge) has been designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument by the national government. In Shiko, along the Kumano River, there is a jet boat boarding point for Toro Gorge sightseeing, and the river basin belongs to Yoshino-Kumano National Park.

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

Japanese:

紀伊半島南部の川。上流は奈良県の大峰山脈に源を発する十津川を本流とし，和歌山県に入って熊野川となる。新宮市北部の宮井で三重県からの北山川と合流し，三重・和歌山県境をほぼ南流，熊野灘に注ぐ。全長 183km。近畿地方最長の川。かつては新宮川といわれたが，1998年熊野川に名称変更された。なお，水系は今日でも新宮川水系と呼ばれる。先行性河川で山地を穿入蛇行し，峡谷美をつくる。特に宮井から新宮までの間の九里峡は，両岸に柱状節理（→節理）の花崗斑岩の垂直の崖が続く景勝地で，流域一帯は吉野熊野国立公園に属する。十津川，北山川の流域はスギ，ヒノキの美林地帯で，熊野川では古くから筏流しによる木材運搬が行なわれていたが，トラック輸送に代わった。平安時代以来，川舟による熊野詣での参詣路としても利用された。上流域は多雨地域で水量も多く，多目的ダムの猿谷ダム，発電専用ダムの風屋ダム，二津野ダムなどが建設されている。

熊野川
くまのがわ

和歌山県南東部，新宮市中・北部の旧町域。熊野川右岸に位置する。 1956年小口村，三津ノ村，九重村，玉置口村の4村と敷屋村の一部が合体して町制。 2005年新宮市と合体。大部分は紀伊山地で，林業を主とする。東部の宮井は熊野川と支流北山川の合流点。その北東方の北山川右岸に，奈良県と三重県に囲まれた飛び地があり，沿岸の瀞八丁 (→瀞峡 ) は国の特別名勝・天然記念物に指定されている。熊野川に沿う志古に，瀞峡観光のジェット船乗船場があり，流域は吉野熊野国立公園に属する。

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