Shinano River

Shinano River Chikuma River (千曲川)
The Shinano River in Niigata just before it flows into the Sea of Japan
Map
Native name	信濃川 (Japanese)
Location
Country	Japan
Prefectures	Nagano, Niigata
Cities	Niigata, Nagaoka, Nagano, Matsumoto
Physical characteristics
Source	Mount Kobushi
• location	Japanese Alps, Nagano Prefecture
• coordinates	35°54′47″N 138°43′10″E / 35.913°N 138.7194°E / 35.913; 138.7194
• elevation	2,475 m (8,120 ft)
Mouth	Sea of Japan
• location	Niigata Prefecture
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	367 km (228 mi)
Basin size	11,900 km2 (4,600 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	Ojiya
• average	503 m3/s (17,800 cu ft/s)
• minimum	91 m3/s (3,200 cu ft/s)
• maximum	3,776 m3/s (133,300 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Urano River, Sai River (Nagano)
• right	Yu River (Nagano), Hoshina River, Ayu River, Yagisawa River, Matsu River, Uono River
[1][2]

The Shinano River (信濃川, Shinano-gawa), known as the Chikuma River (千曲川, Chikuma-gawa) in its upper reaches, is the longest and widest river in Japan and the third largest by basin area (behind the Tone River and Ishikari River). It is located in northeastern Honshu, rising in the Japanese Alps and flowing generally northeast through Nagano and Niigata Prefectures before emptying into the Sea of Japan.^[2][3][4] It is designated as a Class A river.^[5]