A Concrete Hut in Timber Dress
The Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House (長江浄水場ベンチュリー上屋) is a small reinforced concrete housing of 1925 in Nagae, Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on January 26, 2011 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey reinforced concrete building with a gabled roof and a building area of 5.9 square metres; registration number 34-0106.
A Small Housing at the South End of the Plant
The Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House stands at the south end of the plant, on a hill above the streets of Onomichi (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It is a single-storey reinforced concrete building 2.6 metres square, with a gabled roof, an entrance in the gable end and a small gabled canopy over the door.
The name refers to a venturi, most likely a venturi meter, which gauges flow from the pressure drop where a pipe narrows; the Agency's record does not describe the equipment inside.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered the Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House for its contribution to the historic landscape, noting that it renders the details of a Western-style timber building, such as moulded brackets under the eaves and on the gable, in reinforced concrete. It was registered on January 26, 2011, later than the plant's other three properties.
What to Look For
Look for the brackets under the eaves and on the gable of the Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House, and the small gabled canopy over the entrance (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Of the plant's four registered properties, it is the only one the Agency classes as a building; the other three are civil engineering structures.
Visiting
The Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House stands within a working water plant, and no official information on public access to the grounds was found. The water bureau says it accepts requests to tour its facilities and describes staff guiding a primary school class around the plant (Onomichi City Water and Sewerage Bureau). Directions and the opening hours of the Onomichi Waterworks Memorial Hall are on the Nagae Water Purification Plant page.
Q&A
- When was the Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House built?
- In 1925 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is the Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House?
- It measures 2.6 by 2.6 metres, a building area of 5.9 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is special about the Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House?
- It renders a Western-style timber building in reinforced concrete, with moulded brackets under the eaves and on the gable (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I visit the Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House?
- It stands within a working plant and no public access is announced; the water bureau accepts requests for facility tours.
- When was the Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House registered?
- On January 26, 2011 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House (長江浄水場ベンチュリー上屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-920-2 Nagae, Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/01/26 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey reinforced concrete, gabled, 5.9 m² (2.6 m × 2.6 m) |
| Owner | Onomichi City |
| Public Access | Part of a working water plant (no published access to the grounds) |
References
- Nagae Water Purification Plant Venturi Meter House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008573
- Onomichi Waterworks Centennial website (Onomichi City Water and Sewerage Bureau, Japanese)
- https://water-onomichi-anniv100th.jp/
Last verified: 2026.11.09
