There are two major rivers in Osaka, the Yodo River and the Yamato River.  The Yodo River flows from Kyoto, and the Yamato River flows from Nara,  across the Osaka Plain into Osaka Bay.  Since ancient times, both rivers have been important rivers connecting Nara, Kyoto, and Osaka.  It was also an indispensable river for water transportation and farming.  These two rivers, which meander in the Osaka Plain, were at the same time the cause of the great flood and were always the opponents of the battle with the inhabitants.  Both rivers have now flowed straight into Osaka Bay due to major renovations during the Edo period.  The Nagase River, which runs through the center of Yao City, is a remnant of the former Yamato River. During the Yamato River era, the width of the river was 200 meters, but now it is about 5 meters in water.  In early spring, cherry blossoms are in full bloom on both banks, and many carps are poking at the petals that have fallen on the gently flowing river surface.

大阪には淀川と大和川の二大河川があります。淀川は京都から、大和川は奈良から大阪平野を横切って大阪湾に流れ込みます。古代から奈良、京都、大阪を結ぶ重大河川でした。水運に農耕に欠かせない河川でもありました。大阪平野で大きく蛇行するこの両河川は、同時に大水害の元凶でもあって常に戦いの相手でもありました。今では両河川とも江戸時代の大改修で真っ直ぐ大阪湾に流れ込むようになりました。八尾市の中心部を貫流する長瀬川は旧大和川の名残りで、大和川時代は川幅が200メートルありましたが今では5メートルほどの疏水になっています。春先には両岸には桜が咲き乱れ、緩やかに流れる川面に落ちた花びらを沢山の鯉が突いています。