A Dam of Great Boulders in a Narrow Valley
The Kokura Sabo Nishikokura Dam (高倉砂防西高倉堰堤) is a stone erosion control dam of huge boulders of around 1902 in Seto, Minamiechizen Town, Nanjo District, Fukui Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on January 8, 2009 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a stone dam 19 metres long and 9.6 metres high, with revetment on the downstream right bank, enlarged in 1919; registration number 18-0079.
A Stone Dam in a Narrow Gorge
The Kokura Sabo Nishikokura Dam stands at a narrow point on the Nishikokuradani, a left-bank tributary of the Takura River in the Kuzuryu River system (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It is a stone dam 19 metres long, 9.6 metres high and 3.6 metres wide at the crest, with a steep downstream face and a crest that sags gently like a slack rope.
Built of stacked boulders up to about 1.5 metres across, it is a large stone structure that protects the village below from landslides and debris flows (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes it as a large structure of stacked boulders, and registered it as difficult to reproduce.
What to Look For
Look for the dam face of boulders up to about 1.5 metres and the gently sagging crest (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Fukui Prefecture (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on public access was found.
Q&A
- When was the dam built?
- Around 1902, enlarged in 1919 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is it?
- 19 metres long and 9.6 metres high.
- What is it built of?
- Stacked boulders up to about 1.5 metres across.
- Which river is it on?
- The Nishikokuradani, in the Kuzuryu River system.
- When was the Kokura Sabo Nishikokura Dam registered?
- On January 8, 2009 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Kokura Sabo Nishikokura Dam (高倉砂防西高倉堰堤) |
|---|---|
| Location | Nishikokura, 45 Seto, Minamiechizen Town, Nanjo District, Fukui Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/01/08 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone dam, 19 m long, 9.6 m high, with downstream revetment |
| Owner | Fukui Prefecture |
| Public Access | No official information on access |
References
- Kokura Sabo Nishikokura Dam (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007487
Last verified: 2026.10.23