Kurobe River

Overview

The Kurobe River is a Class A river flowing through the eastern part of Toyama Prefecture, about 86 kilometers long with a watershed of roughly 689 square kilometers, and it is the main stream of the Kurobe River system. Rising from Mount Washiba in the Hida Mountains, it carves the deep Kurobe Gorge, emerges from the mountains at Unazuki, forms an alluvial fan and pours into the Sea of Japan. It ranks among Toyama's great rivers alongside the Katakai and Joganji.

Highlights

• ●A roughly 86-kilometer flow rising from Mount Washiba in the Hida Mountains
• ●The scenery of the deeply carved V-shaped Kurobe Gorge
• ●An upstream reach holding the Kurobe Dam, one of Japan's largest
• ●Views of the alluvial fan spreading from Unazuki to the Sea of Japan

History

Blessed with a steep gradient and abundant flow, the Kurobe River has long been known as ideal for hydroelectric power. Power development advanced in the rugged Kurobe Gorge, and the Kurobe Dam, one of the largest in Japan, was built upstream. The fierce current that cuts the gorge, together with the bounty of the mountains, has shaped the nature and life of this region.

Map

36.4028, 137.6050 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Start at Unazuki Onsen, the gateway to the Kurobe River and gorge
2. 2Take in the valley scenery from the Kurobe Gorge Railway trolley
3. 3Enjoy the grand water views around the upstream Kurobe Dam
4. 4Descend the alluvial fan to the river mouth via Nyuzen and Kurobe

Did you know?

💡 Because the Kurobe River rushes straight down from Mount Washiba to the Sea of Japan, its gradient is steep, and this drop created excellent conditions for hydroelectric power. The deeply incised Kurobe Gorge is known as one of Japan's premier remote scenic wonders.

Nearby spots