 Tama
River (多摩川, たまがわ, Tama-gawa) - A major river in
Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshū, Japan.
It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the
Japanese government.
Its total length is 138 km, about 85.75 miles, and the total
of the river's basin area spans 1.240 km², more than 770
square miles.
The river flows through Tokyo, on the dividing line between
Tokyo and Kanagawa. In the city, its banks are lined with
parks and sports fields, making the river a popular picnic
spot.
Its source is located in Mt. Kasadori in Koshu in Yamanashi
Prefecture. From there, it flows eastward into mountainous
western Tokyo, where the Ogōchi Dam forms Lake Okutama. From
there, it takes the name Tama, and flows eastwards through
Chichibu Tamakai National Park towards Ōme, Tokyo.
From there flows southeast between Tama Hills and Musashino
Terrace. At Hamura is the source of the historic Tamagawa
Waterway built by the Tamagawa brothers in 1653 to supply
water to Edo (present day Tokyo). Further downstream, the
river forms the boundary between Tokyo and the city of
Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture. Its mouth on the heavily
industrialized Tokyo Bay is next to Haneda Airport.
Tama River is very prone to flooding, and has wreaked havoc
on surrounding areas throughout history. On occasions the
river even changed its course after massive floods,
sometimes dividing pre-existing settlements in two. As a
result, there are several locations where the place names on
opposing sides of the river are the same, such as Todoroki.
The current course was set as a result of a 1590 flood.
Levees have been in place for hundreds of years, but
floodwaters have breached them numerous times in history.
Extensive engineering projects in the early 20th Century
have dramatically reduced the amount of flood damage,
although a 1974 typhoon caused floodwaters to burst a levee
in Komae and washed away 19 houses.
The levees have not been breached since 1974. Projects to
further upgrade the levees have been underway since 1990.
As with most major rivers in Japan, the levees are built
some distance away from the river itself to accommodate the
extra floodwater. The open expanse between the levees and
the river in the middle is covered in grass and shrubbery,
forming a much-needed belt of greenery and wide open space
which is used as playing fields in many places.
Rapid post-war urbanisation of surrounding areas took its
toll on Tama River, whose water quality in the urban areas
plummeted from 1950's onwards rendering it inhabitable for
most species. Pollution control measures and the river's
official designation as a wildlife protection zone have now
led to the return of many species.
Carp, rainbow trout, seema, iwana (char), ugui (big-scaled
redfin) and ayu all inhabit Tama River in sufficient numbers
for limited commercial fishing to take place in upstream
areas. Recent moves to fit weirs with fish ladders have
resulted in a steep increase in the numbers of ayu migrating
upstream. Other fish such as loach as well as the likes of
crabs and turtles also inhabit the river.
Kingfishers, White Wagtails, Spotbills, Japanese White-eyes,
and Black-headed Gulls are among birds often seen at the
river. Various types of ducks have made a comeback after the
1969 designation of the river as a wildlife protection zone.
The expanse of greenery between the levees and the river
itself attract additional wildlife.
In the summer of 2002, Tama-chan, a normally arctic male
bearded seal first spotted in Tama River, became a major
nationwide celebrity.
Near the outskirts of Tokyo, the river is a popular kayaking
spot, with the Japan National Slalom Kayak competitions
being held on the Tama River where it passes through Mitake.
Further down, sports fields appear on both banks of the
river, with many teams practicing or playing a range of
sports here on a regular basis, including baseball, soccer
and rugby union. (There is a rugby club named after the
river, called Tamariba club.) There are also many
playgrounds, park spaces and golf driving ranges found on
the side of the river as it passes through the city.
A bike path and running track travels the length of the
river through urban Tokyo, extending to the river mouth in
Tokyo bay.
Information source: “Tama River.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 25 Jan. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 16 Feb. 2008 <Tama
River>. |
|
