Sumida River Sumida River The is a river that flows through Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi and flows into Tokyo Bay. Its tributaries include the Kanda and Shakujii rivers. What is now known as the "Sumida River" was previously the path of the Ara-kawa. However, towards the end of the Meiji era work was carried out to divert the main flow of the Ara-kawa to prevent flooding. It passes through the following wards of Tokyo: Sumida Gawa pottery was named after the Sumida River and was originally manufactured in the Asakusa district near Tokyo by potter Inoue
Sumida River being manufactured by Korean prisoners of war. Sandra Andacht wrote in 1987, "Sumida gawa wares have found great popularity with collectors, dealers and investors. The motifs conform to the general Western concepts of what Oriental designs are expected to depict; writhing dragons, Buddhist disciples, mythological and legendary beings and creatures. Thus these wares are sought after and prices (here in the States) are quite high, even for pieces in less than perfect condition." The "Noh" play "Sumida-gawa", which the British composer Benjamin Britten saw while visiting Japan in 1956, inspired him to compose "Curlew River" (1964), a dramatic work based