A Brick Tunnel Through the Uwa Hills
The Mikame Tunnel (三瓶隧道, Mikame zuidō) is a brick road tunnel completed in 1917 in Gonai, Uwa-cho, Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on July 25, 2011. Built on the old road linking the former towns of Uwa and Mikame, it lies in the hills along their boundary. Seiyo City owns it.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a brick structure 317 m long and 4.0 m wide; its registration number is 38-0098. Seiyo City notes that although both portals lie on the Uwa side, the tunnel carries the name of Mikame.
Why It Was Registered
The Mikame Tunnel was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a brick tunnel with vertical side walls under an arched vault, carefully built and preserving its original form well.
According to Seiyo City, work began on August 17, 1916 and was completed on December 12, 1917. The village of Mikame promoted the project; of the total cost of 55,000 yen, Mikame paid 13,100 yen, Yamada 6,250 yen and Kasagi 2,650 yen, with 33,000 yen from the prefecture. Mikame bore about 60 percent of the local share, so the tunnel was named after it. The contractor was Hazama Takema, a native of Tosa who had founded the Hazama-gumi construction firm in Moji, Kyushu.
It served as a prefectural road until around 1988 and is now a city road (Seiyo City). The city values it as an engineering heritage site that conveys the industry, technology, economy and culture of the area.
What to Look For
Start with the portals. The Agency for Cultural Affairs and Seiyo City describe arches and pilasters built of stone, the wall between them faced with brick, and a name plaque reading Mikame Zuido set above a stone string course. The contrast of stone frame and brick face is typical of Taisho-era engineering design.
Inside, the vertical side walls and the arched vault are lined entirely in brick. Seiyo City gives an inner height of about 4 m and an inner width of about 4 m. The 317 m brick bore survives very much as it was when completed.
Visiting the Mikame Tunnel
The Mikame Tunnel is still in use as a city road, and its exterior can be seen at any time. No official information on parking was found. Vehicles use the road, so take great care around the portals and inside the tunnel if you are on foot. The tunnel is in Gonai, Uwa-cho, Seiyo City.
Q&A
- When was the Mikame Tunnel built?
- Work began on August 17, 1916, and it was completed on December 12, 1917.
- When was the Mikame Tunnel registered as a cultural property?
- It became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
- How is 三瓶隧道 read?
- It is read Mikame Zuido.
- Why is a tunnel in Uwa named after Mikame?
- The village of Mikame promoted the project and paid about 60 percent of the local share of the cost.
- Can you drive or walk through the Mikame Tunnel?
- It is still a city road; if you walk, watch out for passing vehicles.
Basic Information
| Name | Mikame Tunnel (三瓶隧道) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3149 Gonai and adjoining lots, Uwa-cho, Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Brick, 317 m long, 4.0 m wide |
| Owner | Seiyo City |
| Public Access | Open as a city road (free to view) |
References
- Mikame Tunnel (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008788
- Mikame Tunnel (Seiyo City)
- https://www.city.seiyo.ehime.jp/miryoku/seiyoshibunkazai/bunkazai/kuni/kuni_yukei_kenzobutsu/4212.html
Last verified: 2026.10.05