The Jinzū River (神通川, Jinzū-gawa or Jintsū-gawa or Jindzū-gawa) is a river that flows from Gifu Prefecture to Toyama Prefecture in Japan. The upper reaches of the river in Gifu are called the Miya River. It is 120 km (75 mi) in length and has a watershed of 2,720 square kilometres (1,050 sq mi).

Jinzū River
Miya River (宮川, Miya-gawa, (upper reaches))
Jinzū River in Toyama Prefecture
Map
Jinzū River is located in Japan
Jinzū River
Native name神通川 (Japanese)
Location
CountryJapan
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationMount Kaore
 • elevation1,626 m (5,335 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Toyama Bay
 • coordinates
36°45′42″N 137°13′19″E / 36.761787°N 137.222042°E / 36.761787; 137.222042
Length120 km (75 mi)
Basin size2,720 km2 (1,050 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average163.6 m3/s (5,780 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River systemJinzū River

Etymology

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The official name for the river is "Jinzu Gawa" (written じんづうがわ (Jinzū-gawa or Jindzū-gawa)) according to the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan and Japan Coast Guard.[1] However, the pronunciation of the name has variations, including じんずうがわ (Jinzū-gawa) and じんつうがわ (Jintsū-gawa).[2][3]

Geography and development

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The Jinzū River flows from a source at 1,626 metres (5,335 ft) on the slopes of Mount Kaore in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture and meets the Takahara River at the border between Gifu and Toyama Prefectures.[4] The upper reaches of the river in Gifu Prefecture are also called the Miya River (宮川, Miya-gawa).[4] From the border it flows generally north and empties into Toyama Bay on the Sea of Japan.[4] It's drainage basin covers an area of 2,720 square kilometres (1,050 sq mi).[4]

It once meandered through the city of Toyama, but the new waterway was constructed in the west of the city to avoid floods. Toyama City Hall and other governments are located on the reclaimed land of the old river.

Municipalities

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Toyama Prefecture
Toyama (city)

Tributaries

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Pollution

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The river was polluted with cadmium due to mining and caused the itai-itai disease in the downstream towns around World War II.[5]

Legacy

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The Japanese Navy cruiser Jintsū was named after this river.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Gazetteer of Japan 2021", p.29.
  2. ^ 神通川 [Jinzū River] (in Japanese). Kotobank. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  3. ^ 神通川 [Jinzū River] (in Japanese). Goo. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Overview of the basin and rivers of the Jinzū River system" (2008), p.1.
  5. ^ 萩野病院(富山市)院長 青島恵子さん(71) 公害病の悲劇 次世代へ [Keiko Aoshima (71), Director of Hagino Hospital (Toyama City): Tragedy of pollution-related diseases, to the next generation] (in Japanese). Chunichi Shimbun. 6 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  6. ^ Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.

Works cited

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