Iwaki River

A river that flows through the western part of Aomori Prefecture. It is a first-class river. It originates in the Shirakami Mountains on the border with Akita Prefecture, flows east through the mountains, and turns north near the city of Hirosaki. When it enters the Tsugaru Plain, it merges with the Hira River, To River, and Kanagi River, which are a combination of the Asaseishi River, and empties into the Sea of ​​Japan via Lake Jusanko. It is 102 kilometers long and has a drainage area of ​​2,540 square kilometers. It irrigates the rice paddy areas of the Tsugaru Plain and is also used as a drainage canal. Upstream is the multipurpose dam Meya Dam. The Tsugaru Domain promoted the development of new fields in the Iwaki River basin and also carried out renovation work. River ports were opened in Sanseiji, Fujisaki, Itayanoki, Goshogawara, Kanagi, and other places, and bustled with the distribution of goods. Rice collected along the river passed through Tosaminato at the mouth of the river and was loaded onto Nishimawari shipping ships at Ajigasawa.

[Hiroshi Yokoyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

青森県の西部を流れる川。一級河川。秋田県境の白神山地(しらかみさんち)に源を発し、山地の間を渓流となって東流し、弘前(ひろさき)市街地付近で北に方向を転ずる。津軽平野に入ると浅瀬石(あせいし)川を合わせた平(ひら)川、十(と)川、金木(かなぎ)川と合流し、十三湖(じゅうさんこ)を経て日本海に注ぐ。延長102キロメートル、流域面積2540平方キロメートル。津軽平野の水田地帯を潤し、また排水路としても利用されている。上流に多目的ダムの目屋ダム(めやだむ)がある。津軽藩は岩木川流域の新田開発を進めるとともに改修工事も行った。三世寺、藤崎、板屋野木(いたやのき)、五所川原(ごしょがわら)、金木などに河港が開かれ物資の流通でにぎわった。川筋で集められた米は河口の十三湊(みなと)を経て鰺ヶ沢(あじがさわ)から西廻(にしまわり)海運の船に積み込まれた。

［横山　弘］

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