ford; low-level crossing
A shallow place where a road or path crosses a stream or river by driving or walking through the water, rather than over a bridge. Common in rural or mountainous areas.
There is a ford ahead, so please be careful on rainy days.
We drove across the ford on the mountain road.
Compound of 洗い (arai, 'washing') + 越し (goshi, 'crossing over'). The term describes a place where water washes over a road or path as one crosses.