List of rivers of Japan

Rivers of Japan are characterized by their relatively short lengths and considerably steep gradients due to the narrow and mountainous topography of the country. An often-cited quote is 'this is not a river, but a waterfall' by the Dutch engineer Johannis de Rijke who had visited the Jōganji River, Toyama Prefecture. The Mogami, the Fuji and the Kuma are regarded as the three most rapid rivers of Japan.
Typical rivers of Japan rise from mountainous forests and cut out deep V-shaped valleys in their upper reaches, and form alluvial plains in their lower reaches which enable the Japanese to cultivate rice fields and to set up cities. Most rivers are dammed to supply both water and electricity.
The longest river of Japan is the Shinano, which flows from Nagano to Niigata. The Tone has the largest watershed and serves water to more than 30 million inhabitants of Tokyo metropolitan area.

Hokkaidō

There are 326 rivers in Hokkaido, including 13 Classification of rivers in Japan#Class A rivers designated by the central government. The class A rivers are administered by Hokkaidō Regional Development Bureau. There are six class B river systems.
The following table lists the rivers of Hokkaidō by length. Use the column headers to sort by name, class, or tributary status.

River name	Length	Class	Tributary of	Refs
Ishikari River		A
Teshio River		A
Tokachi River		A
Kushiro River		A
Yūbari River		A	Ishikari
Mu River		A
Shiribetsu River		A
Tokoro River		A
Abashiri River		A
Chitose River		A	Ishikari
Saru River		A
Akan River		B
Yūbetsu River		A
Shokotsu River		A
Niikappu River		B
Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu River		A
Shibetsu River		B
Toyohira River		A	Ishikari
Shizunai River		B
Rumoi River		A
Koetoi River		B
Mitsuishi River		B
Shikiu River		A
Makomanai River		A	Toyohira
Anano River		A	Toyohira

Honshu

Rivers are listed by length. Columns can also be sorted by name, class, and tributary status.

River name	Length	Class	Tributary of	Refs
Shinano River		A
Tone River		A
Kitakami River		A
Abukuma River		A
Kiso River		A
Mogami River		A
Tenryū River		A
Agano River		A
Gōnokawa River Enokawa River		A
Kumano River Shingu River		A
Arakawa River		A
Ōi River		A
Nagara River		A
Hii River		A
Naka River		A
Yura River		A
Asahi River		A
Mabechi River		A
Tama River		A
Kinokawa River Yoshino River		A
Yoneshiro River		A
Omono River		A
Yoshii River		A
Fuji River		A
Kuji River		A
Ibi River		A
Jinzū River		A
Yahagi River		A
Kuzuryū River		A
Shō River		A
Takahashi River		A
Sagami River		A
Katsura River Ōi River		A	Yodo
Ōta River		A
Iwaki River		A
Kizu River		A	Yodo
Kako River		A
Shōnai		A
Miya River		A
Naruse River		A
Ashida River		A
Kurobe River		A
Kushida River		A
Takatsu River		A
Hino River		A
Toyo River		A
Yodo River Seta River Uji River		A
Arakawa River		A
Tedori River		A
Aka River		A
Ibo River		A
Maruyama River		A
Oyabe River		A
Yamato River		A
Oirase River		B
Muko River		A
Yasu River		A	Yodo
Seki River		A
Takase River		A
Koyoshi River		A
Hime River		A
Edo River		A	Tone
Oze River Kono River		A
Saba River		A
Jōganji River		A
Kumozu River		A
Natori River		A
Abe River		A
Sendai River		A
Kano River		A
Sakawa River		A
Kakehashi River		A
Suzuka River		A
Tenjin River		A
Kamo River		A	Yodo
Kita River		A
Kiku River		A
Kanda River		A	Arakawa
Kibishima River		A
Sumida River		A	Arakawa
Tsurumi River		A
Aikawa River		B
Dōtonbori		A	Yodo

Shikoku

First class rivers under control of Shikoku Regional Bureau

Yoshino-gawa - Kochi, Ehime, Tokushima, Kagawa
Naka-gawa - Tokushima
Doki-gawa - Kagawa
Shigenobu-gawa - Ehime
Hiji-kawa - Ehime
Monobe-kawa - Kochi 6
Niyodo-gawa - Ehime, Kochi
Shimanto-gawa - Ehime, Kochi

Kyūshū

First class rivers under control of Kyushu Regional Bureau

Onga-gawa - Fukuoka
Yamakuni-gawa - Oita, Fukuoka
Chikugo-gawa - Kumamoto, Oita, Fukuoka, Saga
Yabe-gawa - Fukuoka
Matsuura-gawa - Saga
Rokkaku-gawa - Saga
Kase-gawa - Saga
Honmyo-gawa - Nagasaki
Kikuchi-gawa - Kumamoto
Shira-kawa - Kumamoto
Midori-gawa - Kumamoto
Kuma-gawa - Kumamoto
Ōita-gawa - Ōita
Ōno-gawa - Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Ōita
Banjo-gawa - Ōita
Gokase-gawa - Kumamoto, Ōita, Miyazaki
Omaru-gawa - Miyazaki
Ōyodo-gawa - Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki
Sendai-gawa - Miyazaki, Kagoshima
Kimotsuki-gawa - Kagoshima