Two Eras in One Wall
Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome (堂々川二番砂留, Dōdōgawa Niban Sunadome) is a late Edo-period stone check dam in Yuno, Kannabe-chō, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, rebuilt in the early Taishō era and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 3 August 2006.
It stands about 180 metres upstream of No. 1 and measures 26 metres long by 3.9 metres high. Walking up the valley, this is the first dam you meet that still spans the full width of the stream. Its registration number is 34-0076, and it belongs to the national government through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Why It Was Registered
What the Agency for Cultural Affairs values in Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome is the way different masonry methods sit side by side in one structure, together illustrating how stone-building techniques changed over time. The formal criterion is contribution to the historic landscape of the country.
The west wing is built in Ranzumi, irregular stones fitted together without continuous horizontal joints, and its corner is locked with Sangi-zumi, long and short faces alternating like the log ends of a cabin. East of that the wall switches to Tanizumi, with stones set on the diagonal. In front of the tanizumi face sits an added body of masonry with a gentle convex bulge, called mukuri. It works as an apron, taking the impact of water that pours over the crest so that the foot of the dam is not scoured away.
The Agency dates the original construction to the late Edo period, between 1751 and 1829, and a rebuilding to the early Taishō era, between 1912 and 1925. Reading the random-laid west wing as the older fabric and the diagonal wall with its bulging apron as the later work fits the Agency's description comfortably.
What to Look For
Look for the seam between the west wing and the eastern section. On the west the stones vary wildly in size and shape. Move east and they tilt into the diamond pattern of tanizumi, with the rounded apron pushing out in front. Finding the exact point where one method gives way to the other is the best way to see how Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome has been rebuilt.
Fukuyama City has excavated Nos. 2 and 4, and the work was presented at the archaeology section of the Hiroshima Historical Society in the 2019 academic year. How much of the buried foundations was revealed awaits a published report.
The Dōdōgawa Hotaru Dōkōkai notes a modern concrete check dam between Nos. 1 and 2, probably complete by 1965. Upstream of No. 2 the bedrock is exposed, the gradient steep and the current fast, with potholes worn into the rock. The group records that during the heavy rain of July 2018 water overtopped the dam.
Visiting
Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome is an open-air river structure, free and viewable from the bank at any time without booking. Stay off the crest and spillway. No official photography restrictions are published.
The random masonry and quoins of the west wing show best from downstream, looking up at the western end. The apron's bulge is clearest from an angle on the east side. The exposed rock upstream is slippery after rain. Directions and parking are on the Dodogawa Sunadome group page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome (Stone Check Dam)
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Q&A
- How big is Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome?
- It is 26 metres long and 3.9 metres high, and stands about 180 metres upstream of No. 1.
- When was Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome built and rebuilt?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period, between 1751 and 1829, with a rebuilding in the early Taishō era, between 1912 and 1925.
- What should I look for at Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome?
- The random-laid west wing and its quoined corner, then the diagonal tanizumi wall to the east with the bulging masonry apron in front. The point where one method gives way to the other is the key.
- Can I visit Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome, and is there a fee?
- Yes, free and at any time. It is an open-air structure viewed from the bank. Do not climb onto the crest or spillway.
- Has Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome been excavated?
- Fukuyama City excavated Nos. 2 and 4 and presented the work at the Hiroshima Historical Society's archaeology section in the 2019 academic year.
Basic Information
| Name | Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome (堂々川二番砂留) |
|---|---|
| Location | Sakoyama, Yuno, Kannabe-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/8/3 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Length 26 metres, height 3.9 metres |
| Owner | Government of Japan (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) |
| Public Access | Outdoors; open at all times, free of charge |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Dodogawa No. 2 Sunadome
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005661
- Hiroshima Historical Society, archaeology section programme (Japanese)
- https://kouko.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/publication/pdf/2019shigakukoukobukai.pdf
- Dodogawa Hotaru Dokokai: The Sunadome of the Dodogawa (Japanese)
- https://dodogawa.com/sunadome.php
Last verified: 2026.09.24
