Overview
Namdaecheon is a local river that originates near Sapdangnyeong in Mokgye-ri, Wangsan-myeon, Gangneung City, crosses Gangneung City, and flows into the East Sea from Namhangjin. It runs through the center of downtown Gangneung, and the area south of Namdaecheon is also called Gangnam. It stretches 32.86 km in length and has a drainage basin area of 258.65 km². The upper part is called Domacheon, and it is named Namdaecheon after passing through Obong Reservoir (Gangneung Reservoir). Namdaecheon, a river that serves as the lifeline of Gangneung City, supplies domestic water to the city and supplies agricultural water to farmland in the basin. In 1992, the Namdaecheon Stream cleanup project was implemented, and the riverbank has been very well maintained. Around Namdaecheon, there are Dano Park, Gangneung Dano Culture Center, and the Imyeonggwan Salmun Government Office Ruins. Especially along the riverside near Namsan Bridge, the Gangneung Dano Festival is held every year on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, featuring traditional cultural rituals and gut rituals where gods and humans communicate, the largest spectacle in the country, nationally designated cultural heritage events, citizen participation events, folk games, and other rich programs, making it a festival venue not only for local residents but for the entire nation.