A Tributary Dam Faced on Both Sides in Kenchi Stone
The Shionokawa First Dam (塩の川第一堰堤, Shionokawa Daiichi Entei) is a gravity concrete sabo dam built in 1954 on the Shionokawa, a left-bank tributary of the Arakawa River, about a kilometer upstream of the Shionokawa Fourth Dam in Tsuchiyu Onsen-cho, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 8, 2008.
The national record gives a crest length of 47 meters and a height of 15 meters. Although numbered "First," it was finished two years before the Fourth Dam downstream, so erosion control on the Shionokawa began here. It is registration number 07-0104.
Why the Shionokawa First Dam Was Registered
The Shionokawa First Dam was registered under the criterion for structures that contribute to the historic landscape of the country; the Agency for Cultural Affairs credits it with contributing to the historic scenery of the stream.
Its faces are battered at 0.45 to 1 upstream and 0.2 to 1 downstream. Both faces are laid in kenchi stone set diagonally as Tanizumi, and the core is filled with rubble concrete. Dressed stone outside and heavy, stone-filled concrete inside is the classic make-up of a masonry-faced gravity dam.
What to Look For
Look closely at the facing. Kenchi stones are dressed square on the face and taper toward the back, and laid diagonally they form a diamond lattice. As the Agency's record notes, the upstream and downstream faces here share the same pattern.
With a crest of 47 meters and a height of 15 meters, the dam is tall for its width, a proportion that reflects the narrow tributary valley.
Visiting the Shionokawa First Dam
The Shionokawa First Dam is a working erosion-control structure. There is no fee; you view it from nearby, and climbing on the dam or going down to the riverbed is not allowed. After rain the river can rise suddenly, so keep away from the banks. Directions are on the Arakawa River Sabo Dams page.
Seen together with the Shionokawa Fourth Dam downstream, it lets you compare two designs on the same stream.
Q&A
- When was the Shionokawa First Dam built and registered?
- It was built in 1954 and registered on July 8, 2008, under registration number 07-0104.
- Is the Shionokawa First Dam older than the Fourth Dam?
- Yes. Despite its number, it was completed in 1954, two years before the Shionokawa Fourth Dam of 1956.
- How is the Shionokawa First Dam faced?
- Both faces are kenchi stone laid diagonally in tanizumi style, over a core of rubble concrete.
- How large is the Shionokawa First Dam?
- It is a gravity concrete dam 47 meters long and 15 meters high.
- Can I visit the Shionokawa First Dam?
- It is a working facility you can view from nearby, free of charge; climbing on it is not allowed.
Basic Information
| Name | Shionokawa First Dam (塩の川第一堰堤) |
|---|---|
| Location | Hinata, Tsuchiyu Onsen-cho, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2008 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Gravity concrete dam, crest length 47 m, height 15 m |
| Owner | National government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) |
| Public Access | Outdoor working facility, exterior viewable from nearby (free) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Shionokawa First Dam
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007173
- MLIT Fukushima River and National Highway Office: Sabo Works in the Arakawa Basin (Japanese)
- https://www.thr.mlit.go.jp/fukushima/sabo/100/110.html
- Fukushima Prefecture Infrastructure Tourism: Arakawa Sabo Dams (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/site/infra/arakawa.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
