14 N. Yamasaki 



terraced coastal plain wliicli is composed partly of tea gardens and 

 partly of grass-plains or liara, sucli as Takaslii-ga-liara, IMikata- 

 ga-hara, etc. In the prodnction of tea, this district ranks first in 

 the country. The lowlands at the base of the mountains are well 

 cultivated and contain many towns and villages, through which runs 

 the trunk line of tlie Tokyo-Kobe railway. Many large rivers such as 

 the Fuji, the Abe, the Oi and the Teuryu flow towards the south, 

 cutting deep valleys in the Akaishi Mountains and their spurs, and 

 making braided streams on this coastal plain. On the coast is the 

 depression lake of Hamana, which is now connected with the sea by 

 a narrow outlet. 



Coming back to the great tectonic valley of Fuji-Kamanashi, we 

 find the small basin of Suwa with the lake of the same name. It lies 

 800 m. above sea level and is the source af the Tenryu. Further to 

 the north, separated from this basin by the small ridge of Shiojiri-toge, 

 stretches the valley of Matsmoto-daira with an average height of 

 450 m. Kising precipitously from this level, the lofty Hida Eange 

 forms the Avestern boundary of the valley. This range extends soutli 

 to the east side of the great Kiso valley, and the north end of it 

 terminates abruptly in the precipitous clifi" of Oyashirazu on the Sea 

 of Japan. This gigantic scarp of the southern arc constitutes the 

 highest mountain range in the Empire with many peaks of 3000 

 metres in altitude; hence it is often called the ''Japanese Alps." 

 There is no glacier in this range at present, but the presence of 

 cirtj^ues or Kar at altitudes of 2500 m. in many mountains as well as 

 the striated surface of the rocks of Shirouma-ga— lake, one of the 

 prominent peaks, indicate the former existence of one. Like the 

 Akaishi Mountains, it consists of older geological formations and various 

 eruptive rocks. Among numerous peaks, Yari-ga-take, 3180 m. called 

 the " Matterhorn of Jajian," Hodaka-yama, 3103 m. ; Otenjo-dake, 

 2922 m. ; and Shirouma-ga-take, 2933 ra., are the most celebrated. 

 The size and importance of this range is still further increased by its 

 junction with tlie Norikura volcanic chain. The two largest volcanoes 

 of this chain, Ontake, 30G3 m., and Norikura-ga-take, 3026 m., are 

 next in height to Mount Fuji. Tate-yama is a lofty group including 

 Tate-yama proper, 2992 m., and Ken-ga-mine, 2998 m., and runs closely 

 parallel to the western side of the northern Hida Eange, from which 

 it is separated by the great gorge of Kurobe-kawa. The mountainland 

 of Shinano with some separated basins is celebrated for its silk 



