A Dry-Stone Sabo Dam of Huge Boulders
The Asake River Sabo Dam (T11-2) (朝明川砂防堰堤（Ｔ11-2）) is an erosion-control (sabo) dam of 1922 in Chikusa, Komono Town, Mie District, Mie Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on September 2, 1998 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a dry-stone masonry dam 29.1 metres wide and 3.6 metres high; registration number 24-0017.
A Sabo Dam on the Asake River
The Asake River Sabo Dam T11-2 is an erosion-control dam 3.6 metres high and a little under 30 metres long (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Built dry of boulders 1 to 2 metres across, it has a very powerful appearance. The stones are laid diagonally in the tanizumi manner, each fitted to its shape with great precision (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it as a structure that would not be easy to reproduce, a dam showing the high standard of erosion-control engineering of its day.
What to Look For
Look for the dry-laid boulders, 1 to 2 metres across, set diagonally (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is an erosion-control structure owned by Mie Prefecture, and no official information on visiting was found.
Q&A
- When was the dam built?
- In 1922 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is it built?
- A dry-stone masonry dam, 29.1 metres wide and 3.6 metres high.
- What is dry-stone masonry?
- Stone laid without mortar; here boulders 1 to 2 metres across.
- How is Komono Chikusa read?
- Ko-mo-no Chi-ku-sa, according to the Japan Post postcode data.
- When was the Asake River Sabo Dam (T11-2) registered?
- On September 2, 1998 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Asake River Sabo Dam (T11-2) (朝明川砂防堰堤（Ｔ11-2）) |
|---|---|
| Location | Chikusa, Komono Town, Mie District, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/09/02 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | A dry-stone masonry dam, 29.1 m wide, 3.6 m high |
| Owner | Mie Prefecture |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Asake River Sabo Dam (T11-2) (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000688
Last verified: 2026.10.19