Yamautsuri River

Overview

The Yamautsuri River flows through Nakatsu and Kusu in Oita Prefecture as a Class 1 river of the Yamakuni system. Measured by drainage area it is the largest tributary of the Yamakuni, and its course threads together two celebrated gorges: downstream it helps form part of Hon-Yabakei, while upstream lies Shin-Yabakei, famed for its strange rock formations and autumn colours. For travellers touring the scenery of the Yaba valleys, this river is a leading player whose waters and cliffs change with every season.

Highlights

• ●The largest tributary by drainage area in the Yamakuni system
• ●The gorge scenery of Hon-Yabakei spreading downstream
• ●Shin-Yabakei upstream, where strange rocks meet autumn colour
• ●The seasonal contrast of flowing water against rock walls

History

The Yamautsuri has long carved the gorges of Yabakei, and the crags and oddly shaped rocks born of its erosion have made the wider Yaba area a cherished scenic site. Upstream, Shin-Yabakei is known for panoramas of varied rock peaks, epitomised by the famous Hitome Hakkei viewpoint, all of them the work of the river over vast spans of time. For a fuller picture of local flood control and history, the official information of Nakatsu City and Kusu Town is the place to look.

Map

33.4468, 131.1175 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Start at Nakatsu Station and head toward the Yaba valleys
2. 2View the river and cliffs at Hon-Yabakei downstream
3. 3Continue upstream to Shin-Yabakei and stroll among the rock peaks
4. 4Finish by taking in the gorge from a lookout point

Did you know?

💡 Though only a dozen or so kilometres in length, this river has the distinction of the largest drainage area among the tributaries of the Yamakuni. That a single stream links the two scenic gorges of Hon-Yabakei and Shin-Yabakei is a charm unique to the Yamautsuri.

Nearby spots