About the Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam (正法寺川北沢第十号石堰堤) is a stone erosion-control dam built in 1923 on the Kitasawa branch of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
It stands about 60 metres below the No. 9 dam. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam is a gravity dam 25 metres along the crest and 3.2 metres high, battered at 2 bu upstream and 3 bu downstream, laid dry (Karazumi) in level courses (Nunozumi), with a stone-faced embankment on its right bank. The registered run of dry-stone dams on the Kitasawa ends here.
Why It Was Registered
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the dam was kept low to sit within the landform, and its spillway notch was moved toward the left bank, close to bedrock. Water falling onto rock is far less likely to scour the bed and undercut the foot of the dam.
Reading the ground and deciding where the water should land shaped the whole structure. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce.
What to Look For
At the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam, look at the notch on the left bank together with the rock exposed below it. Follow where the water lands and where it runs off, and the reason for the off-centre placement becomes clear.
The No. 12 dam lies about 190 metres downstream, and below it the masonry changes character. This is a natural turning point between the dry-stone reach above and the mortared reach below.
Visiting the Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 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. 9 dam is about 60 metres upstream and the No. 12 dam about 190 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. 10 Stone Dam
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam?
- It is on the Kitasawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It lies about 60 metres below the No. 9 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam built?
- It was built in 1923 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.
- Why is the spillway of the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 Stone Dam set toward the left bank?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the notch was placed on the left, close to bedrock. Landing the overflow on rock helps keep the stream from scouring away the foot of the dam.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 10 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. 10 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. 10 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0069 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/7/12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 25 metres, height 3.2 metres, with a stone-faced embankment |
| 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: 正法寺川北沢第十号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004860
- 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
