The Third Well, a Short Walk from the First
The Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well (栃ヶ原地すべり第三号集水井) is a reinforced-concrete well for draining a landslide of 1965 in Tochigahara, Takayanagi-cho, Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 5, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a reinforced-concrete structure with an area of 13 square metres; registration number 15-0508.
It lies 100 metres south-west of the No. 1 well (Agency for Cultural Affairs), and according to a Niigata Prefecture leaflet it was completed in December 1965, in the same year as the No. 2 well, finished that March.
Holding Down the Deep Groundwater
The Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well is a reinforced-concrete shaft 4.0 metres across and 15 metres deep (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Agency describes its job as stopping the deep groundwater that triggers landslides from rising.
The water it gathers flows through a buried pipe into the No. 1 well (Niigata Prefecture), so the two shafts, though separate on the surface, work as a single drainage system underground.
Its registered site spans two land parcels, 2701-4 and 2701-5 Osugi (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape, as an early example of the collection well developed in the Joetsu and Chuetsu districts of Niigata, an area known for frequent landslides.
Niigata Prefecture adds that all three Tochigahara wells had passed the 50-year mark when they were registered.
What to Look For
According to Niigata Prefecture, the ground around the Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well has been left largely as it was when the well was built in 1965, so the setting as well as the shaft is worth a look.
It shares the 4.0-metre diameter of the No. 1 well; only the depth differs, 15 metres here against 18 metres there (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well is a landslide prevention facility owned by Niigata Prefecture. No official information on interior visits or photography was found.
Q&A
- When was the Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well built?
- It was completed in December 1965 (Niigata Prefecture).
- Where is the Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well?
- In Tochigahara, Takayanagi-cho, Kashiwazaki City, 100 metres south-west of the No. 1 well (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What does the Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well do?
- It keeps the deep groundwater that triggers landslides from rising, and sends the water through a buried pipe to the No. 1 well (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Niigata Prefecture).
- How big is the Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well?
- It is a reinforced-concrete shaft 4.0 metres across and 15 metres deep (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well registered?
- On December 5, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well (栃ヶ原地すべり第三号集水井) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2701-4 and 2701-5 Osugi, Tochigahara, Takayanagi-cho, Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019/12/05 (Reiwa 1) |
| Quantity | 1 well |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, 13 m², outer diameter 4.0 m, depth 15 m |
| Owner | Niigata Prefecture |
| Public Access | Exterior only (no information on interior access) |
References
- Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013067
- Tochigahara Landslide No. 3 Collection Well (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/443586
- Tochigahara Landslide Collection Wells, Registered Tangible Cultural Property and Civil Engineering Heritage (Niigata Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.niigata.lg.jp/sec/kashiwazaki_seibi/tochigaharayukei.html
- Tochigahara Landslide Collection Wells, leaflet (Niigata Prefecture, March 2020, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.niigata.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/228546.pdf
Last verified: 2026.11.05
