7. Nakagawa (Tochigi, Fukushima, Ibaraki)

Photographer’s comments: On June 1, the opening of the ayu (sweet fish) fishing season, some 20,000 people crowd the banks of the river. The day before the season starts, people pitch tents and build fires, sharing drinks and conversation before taking the plunge at dawn.

River data: From its source in Mt. Nasu, the river flows from the mountains through the plains before entering the city of Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture. After merging with a number of tributary streams, the river passes between Hitachi Naka and Ōarai in Ibaraki Prefecture before emptying into the Pacific. Length: 150 km; Grade-one river.