A Brick Tunnel on the Old Kumano Road
The Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel (Former Kaino Tunnel) (古里歩道トンネル（旧海野隧道）) is a brick road tunnel completed in 1914 between Kaino and Doze in Kii-Nagashima, Kihoku Town, Kitamuro District, Mie Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 24, 2001 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The old name is read Kaino zuido.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a brick tunnel 208 metres long and 3.2 metres wide, registration number 24-0026, owned by the national government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism).
One of a Line of Tunnels
According to the Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation, the tunnel was one of six built during the improvement of the Kumano Road, today's National Route 42, a programme that ran for 20 years from fiscal 1907. It is the middle of the three brick tunnels at the northern end: the Enoura Tunnel (formerly Nagashima), the Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel (formerly Kaino) and the Doze Pedestrian Tunnel (formerly Doze).
They were designed by the prefectural engineer Iwai Totaro and built under the supervision of Amano Hisashi, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs counts them among the finest tunnels in the Kii region. After serving the main road, the tunnel now carries local traffic (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. Its southern neighbour, the Doze Pedestrian Tunnel of 1915, 308 metres long, was registered the same day (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
What to Look For
The portals resemble those of the Enoura Tunnel (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation describes semicircular openings framed by shield-shaped voussoirs, with brick portals capped by coping stones at both ends.
Inside, brick-lined stretches alternate with bare rock. Both the Furusato and Doze tunnels have brick niches with saw-tooth decoration, built to store equipment for the gas lighting originally planned (Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation).
Visiting
According to the Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation, the Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel is still in use as a town road and footpath, so you can walk through it. Watch for vehicles.
It is about 15 minutes by car from Minose Station on the JR Kisei Line, or about 35 minutes south by car from the Kisei-Ouchiyama interchange of the Kisei Expressway (Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation). Enquiries go to the Kihoku Town Board of Education (0597-32-0234).
Q&A
- When was the Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel built?
- In 1914 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How long is the Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel?
- It is 208 metres long and 3.2 metres wide (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What should I look for in the Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel?
- The brick portals framed by shield-shaped voussoirs, and the saw-tooth brick niches built for gas-lighting equipment (Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation).
- Can I walk through the Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel?
- Yes, it is still used as a town road and footpath (Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation).
- When was the Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel registered?
- On April 24, 2001.
Basic Information
| Name | Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel (Former Kaino Tunnel) (古里歩道トンネル（旧海野隧道）) |
|---|---|
| Location | Kaino to Doze, Kii-Nagashima, Kihoku Town, Kitamuro District, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2001/04/24 (Heisei 13) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Brick, 208 metres long, 3.2 metres wide |
| Owner | National government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) |
| Public Access | In use as a town road and footpath |
References
- Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002147
- Doze Pedestrian Tunnel (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002148
- Furusato Pedestrian Tunnel (Kanko Mie, Japanese)
- https://www.kankomie.or.jp/spot/4172
Last verified: 2026.10.14