The is a river found in the heart of

Tokushima City is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 249,865 in 122085 households and a population density of 1305 persons per km².The total area of the city is . Geography The ci ...

Tokushima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...

. The

Suketō River The , also called the Fukushima River, is a river in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Course It starts on the western side of Hyōtan-jima where the Shinmachi River hits the Mitsuai Bridge and runs around to meet the river again to the east. The riv ...

, Tamiya River, Sako River, and Sumiyoshijima River are its tributaries. At current, the

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

Shinmachi Preservation Committee is in charge of keeping the river clean and holding tours around the river via boat.

History

During the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

the Shinmachi River was a very busy area due to the travel of boats carrying Indigo Dyeing wares, one of the main trades supporting finance in the region at the time.

Geography

The Shinmachi River runs through the middle of

Tokushima is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...

, and passes by many well known tourist spots within the city area.

Water

Up until the early

Shōwa period Shōwa may refer to: * Hirohito (1901–1989), the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa * Showa Corporation, a Japanese suspension and shock manufacturer, affiliated with the Honda keiretsu Japanese eras * Jōwa (Heian ...

, the condition of the river was so good as to allow people to swim there during the summertime. However, in the coming years the river became increasingly polluted and thus unsuitable for swimming. Efforts in recent years to clean up the river have improved its overall condition greatly, but there still remains some sludge on the bottom of the river and it has yet to return to its former glory.

Main events along the waterway

Events

The

Aibahama Park Aibahama Park (藍場浜公園) is a park in Aiba-cho in Tokushima City in Tokushima Prefecture. Overview Found alongside the Shinmachi River that winds its way through the middle of Tokushima City, the Aibahama Park grounds are known as a pop ...

and Mizugiwai Park areas along the riverside are popular spots for events. The river itself is also used during an event each

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

, in which people dressed in Santa suits distribute gifts to children along the riverside from atop boats. Over 3,000 presents are given out each year.

Tourist spots

Tokushima City is home to many different historical sites due to its long history as the capital city in the region.

References

{{Rivers of Japan Rivers of Tokushima Prefecture Rivers of Japan