Saru River

Saru River (沙流川, Saru-gawa) is a river in Hokkaido, Japan.

Saru River 沙流川
Native name	Saru-gawa (Japanese)
Location
Country	Japan
State	Hokkaido
Region	Hidaka Subprefecture
District	Saru District
Municipalities	Biratori, Hidaka
Physical characteristics
Source	Mount Kumami
• location	Hidaka, Hidaka Subprefecture, Japan
• coordinates	42°58′59″N 142°45′8″E
• elevation	930 m (3,050 ft)
Mouth	Pacific Ocean
• location	Hidaka, Hidaka Subprefecture, Japan
• coordinates	42°30′5″N 142°0′31″E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	104 km (65 mi)
Basin size	1,350 km2 (520 sq mi)
[1][2][3]

The Saru River rises in the Hidaka Mountains and empties into the Pacific. It is considered sacred in traditional Ainu beliefs.^[4]

The Nibutani Dam is situated on the Saru River, at Nibutani village. The construction of this dam was the subject of famous domestic litigation, producing the first ever Japanese legal decision to recognise the Ainu people as an indigenous people. Construction of a second dam, the Biratori Dam is also planned by the Hokkaido Development Board.^[5] The 'Cultural Landscape along the Saru River resulting from Ainu Tradition and Modern Settlement' has been designated an Important Cultural Landscape.^[6]

See also

• Cultural Landscapes of Japan