About the Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam (正法寺川北沢第一号の甲石堰堤) is a stone erosion-control dam built in 1922 on the Kitasawa branch of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
It stands about 55 metres below the No. 1 dam at the head of the ravine. At 29 metres along the crest and 4.6 metres high, the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam matches its upstream neighbour in height but is roughly twice as long. A stone apron lies at its foot.
The character 甲 (kō) after the number works much as a letter suffix does in English, distinguishing a second dam that shares the No. 1 designation. On the reading, sources disagree: the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Yamagata Prefecture give daiichigō no kō ishi-entei, while Tendo City's tourism site glosses the name as kabutoishi. This article follows the Agency and the prefecture, which owns the dam.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs places the No. 1-Ko dam within the first phase of the Shohoji River erosion-control project, begun after the flood damage of 1913 and carried out between 1922 and 1925. Both faces are battered at 3 bu, and the stone is laid dry (Karazumi) in level courses (Nunozumi).
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam was registered as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce. Where the No. 1 dam stands steeper on its upstream face, this one lies back at the same angle on both sides. Even within a single construction phase, each dam was given its own cross-section.
What to Look For
Look along the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam from the bank and you can read its profile: with equal slopes on both faces, the cross-section is close to a symmetrical trapezoid.
The crest runs 29 metres, filling the width of the ravine. Compare the stones of the apron with the dressed blocks of the dam body; the floor that takes the falling water is built of heavier pieces.
About 30 metres further down is the No. 2 dam, close to where the Tanukisawa ravine joins from the right.
Visiting the Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam is an open-air river structure with no admission fee or opening hours. The face of the dam is best seen from the downstream bank; do not walk along the crest or climb down into the stream when the water is up. The No. 1 dam is about 55 metres upstream and the No. 2 dam about 30 metres downstream.
Directions to the valley and safety notes are on the page for the Shohoji River Erosion Control Facilities.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamagata
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam
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Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam?
- It is on the Kitasawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It lies about 55 metres below the No. 1 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam built?
- It was built in 1922 as part of the first phase of the Shohoji River erosion-control project, which Yamagata Prefecture undertook after the flood of 1913 to stop sediment washing downstream.
- How do you read the name of the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs and Yamagata Prefecture read 甲 as kō, a suffix marking a second dam under the No. 1 number. Tendo City's tourism site reads the same characters as kabutoishi, so sources differ. This article follows the Agency and the prefecture.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam up close?
- It is an open-air river structure with no admission fee or opening hours, and can be viewed from the bank. The face of the dam is best seen from the downstream bank; do not walk along the crest or climb down into the stream when the water is up.
- When did the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 12 July 2005 as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce.
Basic Information
| Name | Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 1-Ko Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0060 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/7/12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 29 metres, height 4.6 metres, with an apron |
| Owner | Yamagata Prefecture |
| Public Access | Open-air river structure; no admission fee or set hours |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 正法寺川北沢第一号の甲石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004850
- Yamagata Prefecture: Shohoji River Erosion-Control Facilities, Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.yamagata.jp/documents/4123/syohozigawa.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.24
