The Kaji River divides from the Eguchi, Kami-Uchitake, and Shimo-Uchitake areas of the middle reaches, passes through Ijimino and Sanno, and splits into two streams at a large weir. The main stream flows through the Shinbashi area and flows toward Nakasone, and a part of it flows from Saruhashi through the Seiro and Kizaki areas to connect with the Agano River. (The branch flows east of the city in the direction of Araida.) In addition to its nature as an urban river flowing through the city, the Agano River flows through the garden of Sekisen-so, and is positioned as a "water path" in the "Basic Plan for the Revitalization of the Central City Center of Shibata City". It was newly excavated and constructed by Mizoguchi Hidekatsu, who became the lord of the Shibata domain in the Edo period, for the construction of Shibata Castle, and for the formation and defense of the castle town. From the Edo period to the Meiji and Taisho periods, the river served an important function for the common people as water for daily life and miscellaneous purposes. Today, the river still retains much of its original course as it was during the Edo period. (However, the majority of the river that flows into the urban area is covered with a cement lid.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 加治川中流の江口・上内竹・下内竹地域付近より分流し、五十公野、山王を通って大堰で二流に分れ、本流は新発田市街を流れ中曽根方面へ流れる。さらに一部は猿橋から聖籠・木崎地区を通り阿賀野川に繋がっている。（分流は市街の東側を新井田方面に流れた。） 市街地内を流れる都市河川の性質を持つことに加え、石泉荘の庭園内を流れることから、「新発田市中心市街地活性化基本計画」において「水のみち」として位置づけられている[1]。 江戸時代に新発田藩主となった溝口秀勝が新発田城築城に当たり、城の構築と城下町の形成と防御のため新しく開削して造られた。江戸時代から明治・大正時代にかけて生活用水、雑用水等として、庶民にとって大切な働きをしてきた。 今もなお、江戸時代当時の川筋がほとんど変わらずに残っている。（しかし市街地に流れる大半部分がセメントで蓋がされている。）