Abukuma River

The Abukuma River (阿武隈川, "Abukuma gawa" or "Abukumagawa"), with a length of 234 km, is the second longest river in the Tōhoku region of Japan and the 6th longest river in Japan. It rises from springs in the peaks of the Nasu Mountains, collects water from tributaries leaving the Ōu Mountains and the Abukuma Highlands (阿武隈高地), and empties into the Pacific Ocean as a major river. It has a 5,390 km² area watershed, and about 1.2 million people live along its basin. [Takeda, page 51.]

The Abukuma River flows north through Nagadōri (中通り) or "Central Street" valley, past the cities of Shirakawa, Sukagawa, Kōriyama, Nihonmatsu and Fukushima before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The portion of the river flowing between Nihonmatsu and Fukushima forms a deep ravine called Horaikyo. [Takeda, page 52.] Crossing the north edge of the long but low Abukuma hills, the Abukuma River flows into Miyagi Prefecture, past the city of Kakuda and between Iwanuma and Watari before reaching the Pacific. Abukuma has a tributary called the Ara River.

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*Citation |last1=Takeda |first1=Toru |last2=Hishinuma |first2=Tomio |last3=Oguma |first 3=Chiyoichi |last4=Takiguchi |first4=R. |date=July 7, 2001|title=Fukushima - Today & Tomorrow |place=Aizu-Wakamatsu City|publisher=Rekishi Shunju Publishing Co. |isbn=4-89757-432-3