Fuefuki River

A river that runs through the Kofu Basin from northeast to southwest. It originates in the Chichibu Mountains, changes course south near Hirose in the Mitomi district of Yamanashi City, Yamanashi Prefecture, flows into the Kofu Basin in the Makioka district of the same city, flows from the eastern part of the basin to the south and southwest, and merges with the Kamanashi River near the border between Fujikawa Town and Ichikawamisato Town to become the Fuji River. It is about 55 kilometers long. The Higashizawa and Nishizawa rivers in the upper reaches are known for their beautiful valleys. It is the largest river in the basin, irrigating the agricultural areas in the eastern part of the basin, and forms alluvial fans and floodplains in the midstream and below. The Hirose Dam in the upper reaches is a multipurpose dam intended for irrigating the fields of the complex alluvial fans of its tributaries. The origin of the name of the Fuefuki River comes from the legend of Hihara Gonzaburou (Fuefuki Gonzaburou), who drowned while searching for his mother who had been lost in a flood by playing a flute.

[Minoru Yoshimura]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

甲府盆地を北東から南西へ貫流する川。秩父山地(ちちぶさんち)中に源をもち、山梨県山梨市三富(みとみ)地区広瀬付近から南に流路を変え、同市牧丘(まきおか)町地区で甲府盆地に流下、盆地東部から南、南西部へと流下、富士川(ふじかわ)町と市川三郷(いちかわみさと)町との境界付近で釜無川(かまなしがわ)と合流して富士川になる。延長約55キロメートル。上流の東沢、西沢は渓谷美で知られる。盆地内では東部の農業地帯を潤す最大の河川で、中流以下では扇状地や氾濫(はんらん)原を形成している。上流の広瀬ダムは、支流の複合扇状地群の畑地灌漑(かんがい)などを目的とした多目的ダムである。笛吹川の名の由来については、洪水で失った母を笛を吹いて探し、自らも溺死(できし)したという日原権三郎（笛吹権三郎）の伝説がある。

［吉村　稔］

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