Hanamizu River

Overview

The Hanamizu River is the local name for the lower reach of the Kaname River, a second-class river flowing through the central-western part of Kanagawa Prefecture. Rising in the Tanzawa mountains, the Kaname descends to the plain and, near the boundary of Hiratsuka City and Oiso, the stretch closest to its mouth on Sagami Bay is known as the Hanamizu. It is a gently flowing river, cherished locally, that threads between town and sea.

Highlights

• ●The evocative alternate name Hanamizu for the lower Kaname River
• ●Peaceful waterside scenery along the Hiratsuka and Oiso boundary
• ●The meeting of sea and river near the mouth on Sagami Bay
• ●A water system that rises in Tanzawa and descends to the plain

History

Hanamizu is the name given to the downstream portion of the Kaname River system, forming one continuous flow with the Kaname upstream. From its headwaters in the Tanzawa range, through the lowlands of Hiratsuka and Oiso, and on to Sagami Bay, the river has long been part of the lives of the people along its course. The name itself hints at the scenery and seasonal moods that local people have woven into it.

Map

35.3131, 139.3349 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head to the riverside near the mouth and watch the flow reach Sagami Bay
2. 2Stroll along the embankment and take in the riverside views of Hiratsuka and Oiso
3. 3Turn your gaze upstream and trace the water back toward the Kaname River
4. 4End the walk watching the water catch the light of the season

Did you know?

💡 Hanamizu is a name for only the lower reach of a single river, the Kaname. That one flow can bear different names in different places speaks to the deep bond between a river and its region.

Nearby spots