Kuji River (Japanese: 久慈川くじがわ, Hepburn: kujigawa) is a river in Kuji, Iwate of Japan. It rises at Mount Myojindake located in Kitakami Mountains, and flows into the Pacific Ocean at Kuji City. It is 27.609 kilometers (17.155 mi) in length, and is designated as a Class B river. The urban area of Kuji City is situated on the alluvial plain of the river.[1][2]

Kuji River
久慈川
Location
CountryJapan
StateHonshu
RegionIwate
Physical characteristics
SourceMyojindake (明神岳)[1]
MouthKuji Bay [ja], Pacific Ocean[1]
 • coordinates
40°12′05″N 141°47′57″E / 40.20146°N 141.79908°E / 40.20146; 141.79908
Length27.609[1] km (17.155 mi)
Taki Dam situated on Nagauchi River (2011)
Made based on National Land Image Information (Color Aerial Photographs), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Kuji Valley (久慈渓流くじけいりゅう/久慈川渓谷くじがわけいこく, kuji-keiryu/kujigawa-keikoku) is located along the upper reach of the river. It has a water spring named Furosen (不老泉, literally "ageless spring"), which is known for one of the valuable water springs in Iwate. Water from the spring was initially utilized for placer gold mining in Meiji Era. Later in the Taisho Era it was named after a legend, in which one had become immortal after drinking the water. The valley is a part of Kuji-Hiraniwa Prefectural Natural Park.[2][3][4]

Kuji Region used to contain characteristic Tatara furnaces, in which a water wheel was utilized to supply the air to the furnace, while in many other regions of the country man-power was utilized. Today some parts of the furnaces remain along a tributary river of Kuji River.[5]

The tributaries consist of Natsui River (夏井川), Nagauchi River (長内川), Sawa River (沢川), Tazawa River (田沢川), Tagonai River (田子内川), Heromachi River (戸呂町川), Hinosawa River (日野沢川), Enbetsu River (遠別川) and Futamata River (二又川).[1]

Taki Dam (滝ダム) is a concrete gravity dam situated on Nagauchi River, which is one of the tributaries. It has the total capacity of 7,600,000 m3 (9,900,000 cu yd) and the height of 70 m (230 ft). Construction of the dam started in 1969 and was completed in 1982.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e 河川大事典 (in Japanese). Nichigai Associates. 1991. p. 340. ISBN 4816910174.
  2. ^ a b "久慈川(くじがわ)とは - コトバンク" (in Japanese). kotobank. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  3. ^ Shuji Sasaki (2006). "訪問記 名水を訪ねて(75)岩手県の名水". 地下水学会誌 (in Japanese). 48 (4): 297–310. doi:10.5917/jagh1987.48.297.
  4. ^ "久慈川". ブリタニカ国際百科事典 小項目電子辞書版 (in Japanese). Britannica Japan Co. Ltd. / Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. 2010.
  5. ^ 岡田広吉 (1978). "岩手県戸呂町小学校所蔵の水車式製鉄法の模型について". 日本鉱業会誌 (in Japanese). 94 (1086): 555–558. doi:10.2473/shigentosozai1953.94.1086_555.
  6. ^ "ダム便覧 滝ダム(岩手県)" (in Japanese). Japan Dam Foundation [ja]. Retrieved 2018-06-17.

See also edit