Tatsuta River
| Tatsuta River | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Native name | 竜田川 (Japanese) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Mt. Ikoma |
| • location | Border of Osaka Prefecture and Nara Prefecture |
| • coordinates | 34°40′42.43″N 135°40′44.29″E / 34.6784528°N 135.6789694°E |
| • elevation | 642 m (2,106 ft) |
| Mouth | Yamato River |
| Length | 15 km (≈ 9.3 mile) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Yamato River system |
The Tatsuta River is a river in Japan that is a tributary of the Yamato River system. The upper stream is also called the Ikoma River (after Ikoma City), and the middle stream is referred to as the Heguri River (after Heguri).
Geography
The river that flows south from the eastern foot of Mt. Ikoma (altitude 642 m) near the border between Osaka Prefecture and Nara Prefecture, and joins the Yamato River at the tip of Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara, Nara Prefecture [1]. The catchment area is about 54 km², and the channel length is about 15 km[1]. Ikoma Valley and Heguri Valley are formed in the basin.
The Tatsuta River has long been called the 'Heiguri River'[2]. In the Edo period, the area near Tatsuta was called 'Tatsuta River' or 'Nishino Okawa', and the area near Mt. Mimuro was called 'Shiota River'[2]. The Tatsuta River was mentioned in Japanese poems of the Heian period, but this 'Tatsuta River' refers to the vicinity of Kamenose, the main stream of the Yamato River, as described later[2].
Along the Tatsuta River in Ikaruga Town, Nara Prefectural Tatsuta Park, an urban green area, has been developed for about 2 km[2]. Every year from the end of November to the beginning of December, the Momiji Festival is held at Tatsuta Park[2].
Flood prone areas are also included, and the figures for August 1992, August 1999, July 2000, and June 2016 Flood damage is caused by torrential rains, etc.[1]
Municipalities
Nara Prefecture
- Ikoma City (source)
- Heguri
- Ikaruga
History
It was known as a famous spot for maple trees since ancient times, which were planted in the Edo period with the advice of Shusei Fujimon, a scholar of Japanese classical literature, and the support of Chūgū-ji Temple[2]. Around 1889 (Meiji 22), there were about 36 maple trees, but 6,000 maple trees were replanted from the mountainous area of Uda[2].
There is a theory that the name of Tatsuta-age is derived from the fact that it resembles the color of autumn leaves in this river (although other theories exist).
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The river is also mentioned in Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces.
However, it is an accepted theory that the 'Tatsuta River' at that time was not the current Tatsuta River (Hegurusu River), but the main stream of the Yamato River from Tateno, Misato-cho to the border of Osaka Prefecture [3].
Recently on Wednesday, 5 July 2023, the river turned bright lime green. After a quick investigation officials concluded that the colour change was related to sodium fluorescein, the main component of colouring agents in bath salts. There had been traces of the red substance, which turned green when it went into the water.