Shinano River

Shinano River
Chikuma River (千曲川)
The Shinano River in Niigata just before it flows into the Sea of Japan
Map
Map
Native name信濃川 (Japanese)
Location
CountryJapan
PrefecturesNagano, Niigata
CitiesNiigata, Nagaoka, Nagano, Matsumoto
Physical characteristics
SourceMount Kobushi
 • locationJapanese Alps, Nagano Prefecture
 • coordinates35°54′47″N 138°43′10″E / 35.913°N 138.7194°E / 35.913; 138.7194
 • elevation2,475 m (8,120 ft)
MouthSea of Japan
 • location
Niigata Prefecture
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length367 km (228 mi)
Basin size11,900 km2 (4,600 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationOjiya
 • average503 m3/s (17,800 cu ft/s)
 • minimum91 m3/s (3,200 cu ft/s)
 • maximum3,776 m3/s (133,300 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftUrano River, Sai River (Nagano)
 • rightYu River (Nagano), Hoshina River, Ayu River, Yagisawa River, Matsu River, Uono River
[1][2]

The Shinano River (信濃川, Shinano-gawa), known as the Chikuma River (千曲川, Chikuma-gawa) in its upper reaches, is the longest and widest river in Japan and the third largest by basin area (behind the Tone River and Ishikari River). It is located in northeastern Honshu, rising in the Japanese Alps and flowing generally northeast through Nagano and Niigata Prefectures before emptying into the Sea of Japan.[2][3][4] It is designated as a Class A river.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference KyotoUni was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Shinanogawa River Office. "The Shinano River Basin". Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  3. ^ Nilsson, Christer; Reidy, Catherine; Dynesius, Mats; Revenga, Carmen (15 April 2005). "Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River Systems". Science. 308 (5720): 405–408. Bibcode:2005Sci...308..405N. doi:10.1126/science.1107887. PMID 15831757. S2CID 34820022.
  4. ^ Sawe, Benjamin Elisha (17 March 2017). "Longest Rivers in Japan". WorldAtlas. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  5. ^ "日本の川 - 北陸 - 信濃川 - 国土交通省水管理・国土保全局". Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. Retrieved 5 March 2024.