noun
glow of a river in the dark; river surface gleaming at dusk
Refers to the faint, often poetic light reflected by a river at night or twilight. Evokes a quiet, scenic atmosphere.
夜の散歩で、川明かりが美しかった。
During the night walk, the glow of the river was beautiful.
夕暮れ時の川明かりを写真に収めた。
I captured the gleam on the river at dusk in a photo.
Compound of 川 (kawa, 'river') and 明かり (akari, 'light'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely arose as a poetic term for the natural phenomenon of river reflection.