Refers to the area along a river; often used in literary or formal contexts, such as descriptions of scenery or locations.
I like taking a walk along the riverside.
The hotel stands on the riverbank.
He lives on the banks of the Seine.
I like taking a walk along the riverside in the evening.
I had tea at a café by the riverside.
河畔 is a more formal, literary term for 'riverside', often used in written descriptions or place names, whereas 川沿い is the everyday word for describing something located along a river.
河畔 is a bookish, written-style word for riverside often seen in place names or literature, whereas 川端 is used freely in spoken Japanese.
湖畔 looks and sounds similar to 河畔 because both end in 畔, but 湖畔 means 'lakeside' while 河畔 means 'riverside'.
Compound of 河 (river) and 畔 (bank, shore). The reading かはん is the on'yomi for both characters.