Meguro River
Meguro River (目黒川) is a river that flows through Setagaya, Meguro, and Shinagawa wards in Tokyo. It stretches approximately 8 kilometers and eventually empties into Tokyo Bay. As a secondary river system located at the eastern edge of the Musashino Plateau, it is one of the most iconic urban rivers in Tokyo, renowned for its cherry blossom scenery and the romantic atmosphere along the Nakameguro area.
The source of the Meguro River is near the Higashinaka Bridge in Misyuku, Setagaya Ward, where the Kitazawa River and Karasuyama River merge. The section between its starting point and the National Route 246 Ōhashi area has been converted into a covered channel due to urbanization. On the surface, the Meguro River Greenway has been established, featuring artificial streams and landscaped vegetation. This area also serves as a habitat for small animals such as wild birds, carp, and crabs. Downstream from Ōhashi, the river reopens as an open waterway, meandering southeast before finally flowing into Tokyo Bay near Tennozu Isle in Shinagawa Ward.
In ancient times, the lower part of the Meguro River was known as Shinagawa, where the terrain featured protruding sandbars and gently flowing, winding streams—ideal conditions for a port. This led to the development of Shinagawa Port (Shinagawa-minato) in the ancient Musashi Province, from which the name “Shinagawa” originated. During the Edo period, the section near Shimomeguro was known as Koritogawa (Ablution River), where worshippers would perform purification rituals before visiting the Meguro Fudo-son (Ryusenji Temple).
After World War II, rapid urbanization caused many tributaries to be converted into sewer systems, leading to periods when the Meguro River nearly dried up. To restore the environment, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched the “Clear Stream Revival Project” in 1995. Highly treated reclaimed water from the Ochiai Water Reclamation Center in Shinjuku was introduced into the river, reviving its flow and scenery. The restored ecosystem attracted various fish species back to the river, including mullets and sweetfish from Tokyo Bay, bringing back the natural charm of earlier days.
