Nahari River

This river flows south through the Aki Mountains in the southeastern part of Kochi Prefecture and empties into Tosa Bay. It is 55 km long. Its source is near Senbonyama in Yanase, Umaji Village, and its upper and middle reaches form a meandering gorge. The river basin is a rainy area with an annual rainfall of 3,000 to 4,000 mm, and is known as a forestry area. In the early modern period, it was a collection of feudal forests, and in modern times, national forests were accumulated here, and it is famous for the production of Yanase cedar. The method of transporting timber changed from rafts to forest railways to truck transport. As a rapid river with a large flow rate, power development progressed after World War II, and many dams were built, including at Yanase. The population of the river basin has declined significantly, but yuzu cultivation is also thriving. There are also recreational facilities such as the Kitagawa Forest Center and the natural cedar academic conservation forest at Senbonyama.

[Yasuhiko Owaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

高知県南東部の安芸(あき)山地を南下して土佐湾に注ぐ川。延長55キロメートル。源流は馬路(うまじ)村魚梁瀬(やなせ)の千本山付近で、上・中流は曲流峡谷を形成。流域は年降水量3000～4000ミリメートルの多雨地で、林業地として知られる。近世には藩政林、近代には国有林が集積し、魚梁瀬スギの産地で有名。木材の搬出方法も筏(いかだ)流し、森林鉄道からトラック輸送とかわった。流量の多い急流で、第二次世界大戦後、電源開発も進み、魚梁瀬をはじめ多くのダムが建設された。流域の人口減少も著しいが、ユズの栽培なども盛んである。北川森林センターなどの保養施設や千本山の天然すぎ学術保護林もある。

［大脇保彦］

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