Ibi River Research Articles

Regional Structure of Water-transport in the Western Mino

It was not so long ago, that water-transport opened at the Ibi River system of western Mino (part of Nobi Daira or plain). It connects with Lake Biwa water-transport on the west side by Kurihan mawari (Nine and half ri circulation) and formed one part of east-to-west main communication way of Japan. And its centers were the so-called “Three Ports” that is Torie, Kurigasa and Funatsuki. Since Meiji Era, there were two main water-transports. One was the Kuise River route on the ground of lime stone industry at Akasaka, and the other was the Suimon River transport, which connects Oogaki, the center town of western Mino, with the region along Ise Bay. But at present the former was ceased at all, aud of the latter only 50o ships a year pass through the river. Seeing by transportation volumes, the former carries mainly down-river cargoes, and of the latter up river cargoes were dominant. Carriage fee was about two times of that by trains, and moreover as it has to rely upon other far high costed means of transportation as for as Minato. The water transport here-will decline more in future. As a whole, the regions which were connected wth the water transport of western Mino needs no longer to have former function, and an organization of a new communication system is becoming an urgent matter.