Yabe River

It is a first-class river that originates from Mount Shaka (1,231 meters) on the border with Oita Prefecture in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, flows westward through the southern Chikugo Plain, and empties into the Ariake Sea. It is 61 kilometers long and has a drainage area of ​​647 square kilometers. The upstream mountainous area receives a lot of rain and has a large flow rate, making it a scenic spot of Hyugagamikyo. Hyugagami Dam was completed in 1960 (Showa 35), and it is a beautiful forestry area with cedar plantations. In the middle reaches, it combines the Hoshino River, Hebaru River, and Hae River, and in the lower reaches, it branches off into the Okinohata River. The middle and lower reaches are agricultural areas, where diversified agriculture such as rice and wheat, mandarin oranges, tea, rush grass, vegetables, and livestock is carried out, and irrigation weirs and diversion channels are well developed. The river basin is designated as the Yabegawa Prefectural Natural Park, and there are many tourist attractions such as the Hyugakami Gorge and Funagoya Onsen. The Wisteria of Kuroki and the Funagoya Genji Firefly habitat are designated as national natural monuments.

[Masaaki Ishiguro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

福岡県南部、大分県境の釈迦ヶ岳(しゃかがだけ)（1231メートル）に源を発して筑後平野(ちくごへいや)南部を西流、有明海(ありあけかい)に注ぐ一級河川。延長61キロメートル、流域面積647平方キロメートル。上流山地は多雨で流量が多く、日向神峡(ひゅうがみきょう)の景勝地となり、日向神ダムが1960年（昭和35）完成、スギ植林の美しい林業地帯である。中流で星野川、辺春(へばる)川、飯江(はえ)川などをあわせて、下流で沖端(おきのはた)川を分流。中・下流は農業地帯で、米麦のほか、ミカン、茶、イグサ、野菜、畜産など多角的な農業が営まれ、灌漑(かんがい)用の井堰(いせき)、回水路が発達している。流域は矢部川県立自然公園に指定され、日向神峡や船小屋(ふなごや)温泉など観光資源も多い。黒木のフジと船小屋ゲンジボタル発生地は国の天然記念物に指定されている。

［石黒正紀］

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