Kuroshio

Kuroshio, (Japanese: “Black Current”, ) also called Japan Current, strong surface oceanic current of the Pacific Ocean, the northeasterly flowing continuation of the Pacific North Equatorial Current between Luzon of the Philippines and the east coast of Japan. The temperature and salinity of Kuroshio water are relatively high for the region, about 68° F (20° C) and 34.5 parts per thousand, respectively. Only about 1,300 feet (400 m) deep, the Kuroshio travels at rates ranging between 20 and 120 inches (50 and 300 cm) per second.

Flowing past Taiwan (Formosa) and the Ryukyu Islands, the current skirts the east coast of Kyushu, where, during the summer, it branches west and then northeast through the Korea Strait to parallel the west coast of Honshu in the Sea of Japan as the Tsushima Current. In the vicinity of latitude 35° N (about central Honshu), the bulk of the Kuroshio turns east to receive the southward-flowing Oya Current. This flow, known as the Kuroshio Extension, eventually becomes the North Pacific Current (also known as the North Pacific West Wind Drift). Much of this current’s force is lost west of the Hawaiian Islands as a great south-flowing eddy, the Kuroshio countercurrent, joins the Pacific North Equatorial Current and directs the warm water back to the Philippine Sea. The remainder of the original flow continues east to split off the coast of Canada and form the Alaska and California currents. The Kuroshio exhibits distinct seasonal fluctuations. It is strongest from May to August. Receding some in late summer and autumn, it begins to increase from January to February only to weaken in early spring. Similar to the Gulf Stream (Atlantic) in its creation and flow patterns, the Kuroshio has an important warming effect upon the south and southeast coastal regions of Japan as far north as Tokyo.

The existence of the Kuroshio was known to European geographers as early as 1650, as shown by a map drawn by Bernhardus Varenius. It was also noted by Captain J. King, a member of the British expedition under Captain James Cook (1776–80). It is called Kuroshio (“Black Current”) because it appears a deeper blue than does the sea through which it flows.