[Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture] “The last clear stream in Japan, the Shimanto River” A river with a cultural landscape where people live alongside the river

What is Shimanto River?

The Shimanto River originates from Mt. Fuyuyama, Tsuno Town, Kochi Prefecture (1,336m above sea level). The total length is 196 km, with 35 main tributaries and a total of 319 tributaries.It is a stream with no drop, meandering largely through the southwest region of Kochi Prefecture such as Yusuhara Town, Nakatosa Town, Shimanto Town, and Shimanto City. It empties into the Pacific Ocean at Shimoda, Shimanto City.

Origin of “Japan’s last clear stream”

The Shimanto River, where residents live in close contact with the river, was symbolically referred to as ``Japan's last clear stream'' in a television broadcast in 1983, and is known for its clear water and living creatures from its source to the sea. We have created a brand of a rich and beautiful river with many rivers.

Small fish such as Yamatotenaga shrimp and Oikawa

Caught in the Shimanto River.

The Shimanto River, which nurtures a rich life, is home to 200 types of aquatic life along with its vast brackish waters, and even today, traditional fishing such as fallen sweetfish fishing, firefuri fishing, long shrimp fishing, gori fishing, and blue seaweed fishing are still practiced today. Because there are fishermen who make a living through traditional fishing methods, much of the relationship between people and the river and the culture of their livelihood remain.

Throw a net and catch sweetfish

Light the torch and chase the sweetfish

Have fun at the Shimanto River.

On the Shimanto River, you can enjoy a variety of experiences throughout the year, including canoeing, SUP, cycling, walking in the river, rafting, sightseeing, and camping.

Enjoy yoga along the majestic Shimanto River

There is also a raging side.

The Shimanto River is also famous as a raging river, and is prone to flooding throughout the year due to rising water, flooding, and typhoons. Under these circumstances, people who live in the Shimanto River basin have created the ``Sinkabashi'', a bridge without a handrail that sinks when the water rises, as a wisdom and ingenuity to help them live by making use of the natural environment. The combination of human activities and submerged bridges creates a landscape typical of this area.

(Left) Shimanto River and Sada Submerged Bridge during normal times (Right) Shimanto River and Sada Submerged Bridge during high water levels

Selected as one of the ``100 Best Waters of the Heisei Period'' and ``100 Best Waters of the Heisei Era'' by the Environment Agency.

In July 1985, it was selected as one of the ``100 Best Waters'' due to the high quality of its water environment and the active environmental conservation activities carried out by residents.

Furthermore, in June 2008, the Kurozon River, a tributary of the river, was selected as one of the ``100 Famous Waters of the Heisei Era'' in recognition of the environmental conservation activities and efforts of the people living in the river basin.

The Kuroson River is a particularly beautiful clear stream among its tributaries.

Kuroson River was selected as one of the top 100 famous waters of the Heisei era. It is a particularly beautiful tributary with the highest transparency among the Shimanto River tributaries. In addition to the river, there are legends and anecdotes about Kurozon Shrine and Okiku Falls, and the area is a place where the leaves are brightly colored in the fall.

Selected as an "Important Cultural Landscape*" by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

In February 2009, the unique landscape of the Shimanto River basin, including the lives of people connected to the Shimanto River, was selected as an ``Important Cultural Landscape.'' This is the first time in Japan that five municipalities in the Shimanto River basin (Tsuno Town, Yusuhara Town, Nakatosa Town, Shimanto Town, and Shimanto City) have been selected, and this is attracting a lot of attention.

*Scenic spots formed by the lives and livelihoods of people in a region and the climate of the region that are indispensable for understanding the lives and livelihoods of our people (from Article 2, Paragraph 1, Item 5 of the Cultural Properties Protection Act) )

A grandmother heads home with her grandchild by the hand.

People can be seen along the Shimanto River throughout the four seasons.

The Shimanto River is not only a beautiful river known as ``Japan's last clear stream,'' but also a rich landscape and environment nurtured by the daily activities of the region. This relationship has become a mysterious charm of the Shimanto River that continues to attract people to this day.

If you would like to know more about Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture, please refer to the information below.

Shimanto City Tourism Association Official Website: http://www.shimanto-kankou.com/