Classification of rivers in JapanRivers in Japan are classified according to criteria set by the River Act (河川法, Kasen Hō), which was introduced in 1967. Rivers are classified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).
Katsura RiverThe Katsura River (桂川, Katsura-gawa) is a tributary of the Yodo River in the Kyoto Prefecture, Honshu island, Japan. Traditionally it was regarded as the Western border of Kyoto city (in the East it was the Kamo River). The river rises near the Sasari mountain pass, close to the city of Nantan. It emerges from the mountains and expands into a shallow, slow-flowing river until Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama.
RiverA river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it runs out of water, or only flow during certain seasons. Rivers are regulated by the water cycle, the processes by which water moves around the Earth.
Osaka PrefectureOsaka Prefecture (大阪府, Ōsaka-fu; pronounced) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 (as of 1 April 2022) and has a geographic area of 1,905 square kilometres (736 sq mi). Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture to the northeast, Nara Prefecture to the southeast, and Wakayama Prefecture to the south.
Kyoto PrefectureKyoto Prefecture (京都府, Kyōto-fu; Japanese pronunciation:) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. It has a population of 2.58 million and has a geographic area of 4,612 square kilometres (1,781 sq mi). It borders Fukui Prefecture to the northeast, Shiga Prefecture to the east, Mie Prefecture to the southeast, Nara Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture to the south, and Hyōgo Prefecture to the west.
Lake BiwaLake Biwa (Japanese: 琵琶湖, Hepburn: Biwa-ko) is the largest freshwaterlake in Japan. It is located entirely within Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshu), northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Lake Biwa is an ancient lake, over 4 million years old. It is estimated to be the 13th oldest lake in the world.
Kizu RiverThe Kizu River (木津川, Kizu-gawa) is a river that crosses the prefectures of Kyoto and Mie in Japan, a tributary of the Yodo River. The city of Kizugawa in Kyoto Prefecture is named after the river.
Shiga PrefectureShiga Prefecture (滋賀県, Shiga-ken; Japanese pronunciation:) is an inland prefecture of Japan in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,398,972 as of 1 February 2025 and has a geographic area of 4,017 km (1,551 sq mi). Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to the northeast, Mie Prefecture to the southeast, and Kyoto Prefecture to the west.
Mie PrefectureMie Prefecture (三重県, Mie-ken; Japanese pronunciation:) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 (as of 1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 5,774 square kilometers (2,229 sq mi). Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture to the northwest, Nara Prefecture to the west, Wakayama Prefecture to the southwest, and Aichi Prefecture to the east.
HonshuHonshu (Japanese: 本州, Hepburn: Honshū; pronounced; lit.'main province'), historically known as Akitsushima (秋津島; lit.'dragonfly island') or Hondo (本土; lit.'mainland'), is the largest of Japan's four main islands. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the seventh-largest island in the world, and the second-most populous after the Indonesian island of Java.
JapanCountry in East AsiaJapan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asian mainland, it is bordered to the west by the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk in the north, and the East China Sea in the south. The Japanese archipelago consists of four major islands alongside over 14,000 smaller islands.
ŌtsuŌtsu (大津市, Ōtsu-shi; Japanese pronunciation: [ó̞ò̞.t͡sɨ̀, ò̞ó̞.t͡sɨ̥.ɕì, ó̞ó̞.t͡sɨ̥-]) is the capital city of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2021, the city had an estimated population of 343,991 in 153,458 households and a population density of 740 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 464.51 square kilometres (179.35 sq mi).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.