Kamo River
Cherry Blossoms at Kamo
The Kamo (Japanese鸭 川Kamogawa or贺茂川) is a river which flows through Kyoto. It is 31 km long and a tributary of the Yodo.
North of Kyoto Coming from the mountain Sajikigatake, it flows through the city center and connects to at Fushimi with the Katsura. The river bank is a promenade for residents and tourists. In summer, restaurants open outdoor areas overlooking the river.
In the whole of Kyoto, there are ways in which you can walk along the river. Although the water level is relatively low, usually - in most places far less than one meter - are located down sometimes flooded during the rainy season.
Demachiyanagi (出 町 柳) in the north of Kyoto, where the Kamo in Takano (高 野 川Takanogawa ) flows, is a place for summer barbeques.
Source and course
The source of the Kamo is the Sajikigatake - mountains in the north of Kyoto. After it has passed through the mountain village Kumogahata, he enters at Kamigamo in the district Kita the Kyoto Basin. After he has flowed from south to southeast between the Kamigamo and Shimogamo Shrine, connects at the Kamo Bridge at Imadegawa Street of Takano with the Kamo. He then flows south by the Municipality Nakagyo. In the Shijo Bridge overlooking the famous Gion district, he turns to the southwest until it empties in Kamitoba in the southern district of Fushimi in the Katsura. In the borough Nakagyo west branches of the Takase (高 瀬 川Takasegawa ), which runs parallel to the south.
About the Name
Officially, the river with the kanji for Wild Duck鸭( kamo ) and flow is written川( gawa ). North of the Imadegawa Street, where it joins with the Takano meets, but is a different spelling, with the same pronunciation, as usual :贺茂川or rare加 茂 川. Presumably, this is due to its proximity to Kamigamo Shrine (上 贺 茂 神社Kamigamo -jinja, dt upper Kamo Shrine ) together. From the Deai - to Iwaya Bridge in the north of Kyoto, he is Kumogahatagawa (雲ヶ畑川) because the river flows through Kumogahata. North of the Iwaya Bridge to its source it comes up as Ojitanigawa (祖父 谷川) known.
History
Previously he was the eastern boundary of the old Japanese capital Heian - kyō and owned by Fengshui an important meaning. As management of the river is very straight forward, many believe that it is artificial in origin. However, there are no records of such a project.
The ancient capital was frequently threatened by floods. Emperor Shirakawa commented:
"Although I am the ruler of Japan, there are three things that are beyond my control. Rapids of the Kamo River, the fall of the dice in the game and the monks in the mountains "
The dealer Suminokura Ryoi was in the early 17th century parallel to the Kamo build the Takase. Transports were running from now through this channel, instead of the unstable main stream.
The coincidence between Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Benkei on the Gojo Musashibo bridge over the river is a well-known story of the late Heian period. The bridge was Sanjō than the western end of the Tōkaidō during the Edo period.
In the past, the clear river water was an important source of drinking Waser for the residents of Kyoto. It also played an important role in the Kyoyuzen dyeing, a famous craft of Kyoto.