| Saru River | |
| Name Other: | 沙流川 |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Japan |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Hokkaidō |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Hidaka Subprefecture |
| Subdivision Type4: | District |
| Subdivision Name4: | Saru District |
| Subdivision Type5: | Municipalities |
| Subdivision Name5: | Biratori, Hidaka |
| Length: | 104km (65miles) |
| Source1: | Mount Kumami |
| Source1 Location: | Hidaka, Hidaka Subprefecture, Japan |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 42.9831°N 142.7522°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 930m (3,050feet) |
| Mouth: | Pacific Ocean |
| Mouth Location: | Hidaka, Hidaka Subprefecture, Japan |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 42.5014°N 142.0086°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 0m (00feet) |
| Basin Size: | 1350km2 |
| Extra: | [1] [2] [3] |
is a river in Hokkaidō, Japan.
The Saru River rises in the Hidaka Mountains and empties into the Pacific. It is considered sacred in traditional Ainu beliefs.[4]
The Nibutani Dam is situated on the Saru River, at Nibutani village. The construction of this dam was the subject of famous domestic litigation, producing the first ever Japanese legal decision to recognise the Ainu people as an indigenous people. Construction of a second dam, the Biratori Dam is also planned by the Hokkaido Development Board.[5] The 'Cultural Landscape along the Saru River resulting from Ainu Tradition and Modern Settlement' has been designated an Important Cultural Landscape.[6]