Mabechi River

Mabechi River
Mabechi River in Ninohe, Iwate
Native name	馬淵川 (Japanese)
Location
Country	Japan
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Sodeyama Plateau, Iwate Prefecture
• elevation	1,215 m (3,986 ft)
Mouth	Hachinohe, Aomori
• location	Pacific Ocean
• coordinates	40°32′28″N 141°30′12″E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	142 km (88 mi)
Basin size	2,050 km^2 (790 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	60.88 m^3/s (2,150 cu ft/s)
National Palace of Scenic Beauty River mouth Basenkyō Mabechi River (Aomori Prefecture) Show map of Aomori Prefecture Basenkyō Mabechi River (Japan) Show map of Japan

Ogami Rock overlooking the Basenkyō ravine in Iwate

The Mabechi River (馬淵川, Mabechigawa) is a river located in northern Iwate Prefecture and eastern Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Honshū in Japan.

Overview

The Mabechi River is 142 kilometres (88 mi) long and has a watershed of 2,050 square kilometres (790 sq mi).^[1]

The Mabuchi River rises from the Sodeyama Plateau in the Kitakami Mountains of northeastern Iwate Prefecture and flows to the northeast between the Kitakami Mountains and the Ōu Mountains through eastern Aomori Prefecture into the Pacific Ocean at Hachinohe, Aomori. The Port of Hachinohe is located at the mouth of the river. The city of Hachinohe utilises water from the Mabechi River for industrial purposes.^[2]

Basenkyō

Near the boundary between Ninohe and town of Ichinohe, the river passes through a valley with cliffs, rock formations and pools. Geologically, the surrounding hills are composed of andesite and are the remnants of an ancient submarine volcano. The ravine is flanked by a 280-meter monolithic cliff labelled the Ogami-iwa (男神岩) on one side, and the Megami-iwa (女神岩) on the other. Nearby Mount Torigoe (鳥越山) (371.1 meters) is regarded as a holy mountain, and houses a statue of Kannon Bosatsu in a cave which is an object of pilgrimage. These rock formations and the mountain have been designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument since 2006.^[3] The area is located within the Oritsume Basenkyō Prefectural Natural Park.^[4]

See also

• List of Places of Scenic Beauty of Japan (Iwate)
• Geibikei

References

• Campbell, Allen; Nobel, David S (1993). Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha. p. 904. ISBN 406205938X.

External links

• Visit Iwate
• Ninohe tourist information
• Iwate Cultural information
• Ichinohe town home page

Notes

1. "Mabechigawa" (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism. 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
2. Campbell, Allen; Nobel, David S (1993). Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha. p. 904. ISBN 406205938X.
3. "男神岩・女神岩・鳥越山". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
4. "馬仙峡　Basenkyou　Basenkyo Gorge". Nippon-Kichi. 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2017.