Hikigawa River

Japanese: 日置川 - ひきがわ

This is the former area of eastern Shirahama Town in the southwest of Wakayama Prefecture. It occupies the middle and lower reaches of the Hiki River and faces the Pacific Ocean. In 1956, Hiki Town, Mimai Village, and Kawazoe Village merged to form Hikigawa Town. In 2006, it merged with Shirahama Town. Most of the area is mountainous, and the central settlement of Hiki is located at the mouth of the Hiki River. Since the Edo period, it has been a distribution center for timber in the basin. Forestry was the main industry, but tourism is also a major focus. Hiki Port is the base for offshore fishing. Tea is a local specialty. The coast is part of Yoshino-Kumano National Park, and the Hikigawa Gorge area, which boasts beautiful valleys, is part of Oota Hikigawa Prefectural Natural Park.

Hiki River

A river in the southwest of Wakayama Prefecture. It originates in the Hatenashi Mountains on the border with Nara Prefecture, flows almost southwest, and empties into the Pacific Ocean in the southern part of Shirahama Town. It is about 70 km long. The river has many bends and forms a deep valley. The Tonoyama Dam, completed in 1958, is located upstream, and Hioki Port is located at the mouth of the river. The upper reaches of the river belong to the Oota Hiokigawa Prefectural Natural Park.

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

Japanese:

和歌山県南西部，白浜町東部の旧町域。日置川の中・下流域を占め，太平洋に臨む。1956年日置町，三舞村，川添村が合体して日置川町が発足。2006年白浜町と合体。大部分が山地で，中心集落の日置は日置川河口に位置し，江戸時代から流域の木材の集散地。林業が主産業だったが，観光にも力を入れている。日置港は沖合漁業の根拠地。茶は名産品。海岸は吉野熊野国立公園に，渓谷美を誇る日置川峡一帯は大塔日置川県立自然公園に属する。