The source of the Minami River is found near Amaki Pass on the slopes of Tokinzan (a mountain straddling the border between Ōi, Fukui Prefecture and Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture) about 564 metres (1,850 ft) above sea level.[1] Minami River Sabō Dam (南川砂防ダム, Minami-gawa Sabō Damu) is located a few kilometers below the headwaters of the river. The river travels for 34 kilometres (21 mi) through the municipalities of Ōi (inŌi District) and Obama before emptying into Obama Bay right next to the mouths of the Kita and Tada Rivers.[1][2]
Obama Castle prior to 1874.
The drainage basin for the river covers 460 square kilometres (180 sq mi).[1] The Fukaya, Kubotani, and Kuda Rivers in Ōi, and the Makitani, Okutanawa, Sakamoto, Somegatani, Sunawa, and Tamura Rivers in Obama are all tributaries.[1] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism designated the Minami a Class B river.[3]Japan National Route 162 runs alongside the Minami River from just below the Buddhist temple Dankeiji to near the river's mouth at Obama Bay.[4]
Obama Castle was built on the narrow delta formed by the mouths of the Minami, Kita, and Tada Rivers, giving the castle natural protection due to the rivers and Obama Bay protecting it on three sides.[2]
In September 1953, heavy rainfall from Typhoon Tess caused major flooding along the Minami River and its tributaries, destroying many fields, damaging ships, and injuring or killing almost nearly 500 people.[5]Typhoon Trix in 1971 also caused major flooding, crop damage, and loss of life.[3]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahaiajakalamanaoapaqarasatauavawaxayazMatsumiya, Yoshitaka; Watanabe, Katsutoshi; Iguchi, Kei'ichiroh; Iwata, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Gunji; Nishida, Mutsumi (4 June 2001). 福井県嶺南地方を流れる南川水系の淡水魚類 [Freshwater fish from the Minami River water system flowing through the Reinan region of Fukui Prefecture]. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology (in Japanese). 48 (2). The Ichthyological Society of Japan: 93–107. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
^ ab小浜城 [Obama Castle] (in Japanese). 福井県：歴史・観光・見所. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
^小川秀夫; 栗栖国安; 田宮徹 (10 April 2016). 中村純一 (ed.). ニッポン絶景ロード100 [Japan Scenic Roads 100]. 周山街道 (in Japanese). EI Publishing. p. 94. ISBN978-4-7779-3980-0.
^小出博 (Hiroshi Koide) (10 September 1954). 高潮と豪雨のために大水害 [Major Floods Due to High Surges and Heavy Rains]. 日本の水害 [Japan Flood Disasters] (in Japanese). Toyo Keizai. p. 32.
