Biwa, Lake

Biwa, Lake
Lake, central Honshu, Japan.

It is Japan's largest lake, measuring 40 mi (64 km) long and 12 mi (19 km) wide, with an area of 260 sq mi (673 sq km). Its name refers to the musical instrument (see pipa) that the lake resembles in shape. Its sole outlet, the Yodo River, flows from its southern tip to Ōsaka Bay. Lake Biwa is noted for its pearl culture industry. Its great scenic beauty, long a subject of Japanese poetry, makes it one of Japan's major tourist attractions.

* * *

lake, Japan
Japanese  Biwa-ko  

      largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga ken (prefecture), west-central Honshu. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) long from north to south, the lake covers an area of 259 square miles (672 square km). Its name refers to the biwa, a Japanese musical instrument that the lake resembles in shape. The lake occupies a structural depression and is fed by small rivers flowing from the encircling mountains. The sole outlet, the Yodo River, flows from Lake Biwa's southern tip, past Seta southwest to Ōsaka Bay. Deepest water of 338 feet (103 metres) is in the northwest corner, with depths of more than 200 feet (60 metres) common along the west coast. The lake's surface rises as high as 10 feet (3 metres) in spring because of melting snow and spring rains and in autumn because of typhoon rains. Lake Biwa is a breeding ground for freshwater fish, including trout, and supports a pearl culture industry. It also serves as a reservoir for the cities of Kyōto and Ōtsu and is a valuable resource for nearby textile industries.

      In early Japanese history, Lake Biwa was a principal avenue of movement between the Sea of Japan and the Inland Sea and later facilitated the economic development of the Hanshin (Ōsaka-Kōbe) Industrial Region. Known for its scenic beauty and for the temples atop Mount Hiei, Lake Biwa has been the subject of much Japanese poetry and is one of Japan's greatest tourist attractions.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lake Biwa Marathon — Lake Biwa at sunset Date Early March Location Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan …   Wikipedia

  • Lake Biwa Canal — nihongo|Lake Biwa Canal|琵琶湖疏水 or 琵琶湖疎水|Biwako Sosui is a waterway in Japan built during the Meiji Period in order to transport water, freight and passengers from Lake Biwa to the nearby City of Kyoto.This waterway was also used as Japan s first… …   Wikipedia

  • lake — lake1 /layk/, n. 1. a body of fresh or salt water of considerable size, surrounded by land. 2. any similar body or pool of other liquid, as oil. 3. (go) jump in the lake, (used as an exclamation of dismissal or impatience.) [bef. 1000; ME lak(e) …   Universalium

  • Lake — /layk/, n. Simon, 1866 1945, U.S. engineer and naval architect. * * * I Relatively large body of slow moving or standing water that occupies an inland basin. Lakes are most abundant in high northern latitudes and in mountain regions, particularly …   Universalium

  • Lake Biwa — Lake, is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture (west central Honshū), northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Because of its proximity to the ancient capital, references to Lake Biwa appear frequently in… …   Wikipedia

  • Biwa-See — Geographische Lage Präfektur Shiga, Japan Zuflüsse 118 Klasse A Flüsse Abfluss …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Biwa (disambiguation) — Biwa may refer to: * Biwa, a Japanese traditional musical instrument, a short necked fretted lute * Lake Biwa, a lake in Shiga Prefecture, Japan * Biwa trout, is an anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is enzootic to Lake Biwa. * Loquat, a… …   Wikipedia

  • Biwa trout — Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum …   Wikipedia

  • Biwa-ko — Der Biwa See Sonnenaufgang am Biwa See …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lake Biwa Marathon — Der Biwa See Marathon (jap. びわ湖毎日マラソン Biwa ko Mainichi Marason; engl. Bezeichnung Lake Biwa Marathon) ist ein Marathon für die männliche Laufelite, der seit 1946 stattfindet. Veranstalter sind der japanische Leichtathletikverband JAAF, die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”