Naka River

Overview

The Naka River flows through Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures in eastern Honshu and is the main stream of the Naka River Class 1 water system. It runs for 150 kilometres and drains an area of 3,270 square kilometres, rising at the foot of Nasu-dake and emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

Highlights

• ●A Class 1 river 150 kilometres long, draining 3,270 square kilometres
• ●A course rising at the foot of Nasu-dake
• ●Home to more than 50 species of fish, including dace, chum salmon, ayu, and herring
• ●A path that crosses from Tochigi into Ibaraki Prefecture

History

The Naka River is the main stream of the Naka River Class 1 water system, with its source at Nasu-dake in Nikkō National Park. It flows south through eastern Tochigi Prefecture, turns east at Motegi, then runs southeast through Ibaraki Prefecture and empties into the Pacific Ocean at the boundary between Hitachinaka City and Ōarai. The Japanese government categorises it as a Class 1 river, and its drainage basin takes in parts of neighbouring Fukushima Prefecture.

Map

36.3365, 140.5945 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head from a town along the basin toward the banks of the Naka River
2. 2Take in the flow of the 150-kilometre main stream
3. 3Enjoy the scenery of the mouth where the river meets the Pacific Ocean
4. 4After walking, return to the surrounding town to conclude the itinerary

Did you know?

💡 The Naka River is home to more than 50 species of fish, including dace, chum salmon, ayu, and herring.

Nearby spots