6. Kitakamigawa (Iwate and Miyagi)

Photographer’s comments: The winds weave a symphony of sound as they whisper across the reed beds and the water. Once voted as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan, the eerie scenery here at the mouth of the river was among the priceless treasures lost in the March 11 tsunami.

River data: From its source in northern Iwate Prefecture, the river merges with numerous tributaries of various sizes as it crosses Iwate Prefecture before flowing through the plains of Miyagi Prefecture to the Pacific. Length: 249km; Grade-one river.