2. Iwakigawa (Aomori)

Photographer’s comments: The majestic sight of Mt. Iwaki, known affectionately as the “Fuji of Tsugaru,” follows wherever you go along the length of the river, with the view becoming even more impressive the further you move downstream. Apple orchards and reed beds are other symbols of this river.

River data: From its source in Mt. Ganmoridake, part of the Shirakami-Sanchi UNESCO World Heritage site, the river flows north through the Tsugaru plains to the Japan Sea. Wide expanses of reed beds in the lower stretches of the river make the area an ideal environment for waders and other water birds. Length: 102 km; Grade-one river.