35°17′N 136°39′E / 35.28°N 136.65°E
The Kiso Three Rivers (木曽三川, Kiso Sansen) are the three major rivers that make up the alluvial plain area of the Nōbi Plain of Japan. The three rivers are the Kiso River, the Ibi River and the Nagara River. Given their location, they are sometimes referred to as the Nōbi Three Rivers (濃尾三川 Nōbi Sansen).
The Nōbi Plain (濃尾平野, Nōbi Heiya) is a large plain in Japan that stretches from the Mino area of southwest Gifu Prefecture to the Owari area of northwest Aichi Prefecture and extreme northern Mie Prefecture, covering an area of approximately 1,800 square kilometres (695 sq mi). It is an alluvial plain created by the Kiso Three Rivers (the Ibi, Kiso and Nagara rivers) and has very fertile soil. It is bordered on the west by the Ibuki and Yōrō mountain ranges, and to the east by the Owari Hills. Its northern border is marked by the Ryōhaku Mountains and the south by Ise Bay.
Mie Prefecture (三重県, Mie-ken; Japanese pronunciation: [mʲiꜜ.e, mʲi.eꜜ.keɴ]) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 (as of 1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 5,774 square kilometers (2,229 sq mi). Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture to the northwest, Nara Prefecture to the west, Wakayama Prefecture to the southwest, and Aichi Prefecture to the east.
Tsu is the capital and Yokkaichi is the largest city of Mie Prefecture, with other major cities including Suzuka, Matsusaka, Ise, and Kuwana. Mie Prefecture is located on the eastern coast of the Kii Peninsula, forming the western side of Ise Bay which features the mouths of the Kiso Three Rivers. Mie Prefecture is a popular tourism destination home to Nagashima Spa Land, Suzuka International Racing Course, and some of the oldest and holiest sites in Shinto, the traditional religion of Japan, including the Ise Grand Shrine and the Tsubaki Grand Shrine.
Ise Bay (伊勢湾, Ise-wan) is a bay located at the mouth of the Kiso Three Rivers between Mie and Aichi Prefectures in Japan. Ise Bay has an average depth of 19.5 meters (64 ft) and a maximum depth of 30 meters (98 ft). The mouth of the bay is 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) and is connected to the smaller Mikawa Bay by two channels: the Nakayama Channel and the Morosaki Channel. Mikawa Bay is subsequently joined to the Pacific Ocean by the Irako Channel, which ranges from 50–100 meters (160–330 ft) in depth.
The Ibi River (揖斐川, Ibi-gawa) is a tributary of the Kiso River located in Gifu and Mie Prefectures in Japan. Along with the Nagara and Kiso rivers, the Ibi is the third of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. It is one of Japan's first-class rivers. The former Tōkaidō post station of Kuwana-juku was located on the western banks of this river during the Edo period.
The Kiso River (木曽川, Kiso-gawa) is a river in the Chubu region of Japan roughly 229 km (142 mi) long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya. It is the main river among the Kiso Three Rivers (along with the Ibi and Nagara rivers) and forms a major part of the Nōbi Plain. The valley around the upper portion of the river forms the Kiso Valley.
Parts of the Kiso River are sometimes referred to as the Japan Rhine because of its similarities to the Rhine in Europe.
The Nagara River (長良川, Nagara-gawa) has its source in the city of Gujō, Gifu Prefecture, and its mouth in the city of Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Along with the Kiso River and Ibi River, the Nagara River is one of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. Previously, the river was named Sunomata River (墨俣川 Sunomata-gawa). With a length of 166 km (103 mi), it drains an area of 1,985 square kilometres (766 sq mi) in the Chūbu region and empties into Ise Bay. The government of Japan classifies it as a Class 1 river.