About the Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam (正法寺川北沢第十四号石堰堤) is a stone erosion-control dam built in 1924 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 135 metres below the No. 13 dam. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam is a mortared gravity dam laid in the diagonal Tanizumi pattern, 25 metres along the crest and 3.0 metres high, battered at 2 bu on both faces, with a stone-faced embankment on the right bank, revetments and an apron.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the No. 14 dam, as part of a series of deliberately low dams, with easing the gradient of the streambed and helping the surrounding greenery recover. Before the Taisho works this ravine disgorged gravel with every downpour. As each low dam caught its share of sediment, the bed settled and plants took hold on the banks.
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. What earned it that recognition is not only the structure itself but the part it has played in remaking the look of the valley.
What to Look For
At the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam, look at the dam and the vegetation together. The levelled bed upstream and the trees crowding the banks are the result of the dam's work.
With embankment, revetments and apron all present, it also shows the complete set of parts given to a mortared dam.
Visiting the Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 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. 13 dam is about 135 metres upstream and the No. 15 dam about 170 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. 14 Stone Dam
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam?
- It is on the Kitasawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It lies about 135 metres below the No. 13 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam built?
- It was built in 1924 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.
- What does a chain of low dams like the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam achieve?
- By catching sediment step by step, the dams flatten the streambed and slow the current. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that this series of low dams has eased the gradient and helped the surrounding greenery recover.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 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. 14 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 contributes to the historic landscape of the country.
Basic Information
| Name | Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 14 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0072 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/7/12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 25 metres, height 3.0 metres, with a stone-faced embankment, revetments and 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: 正法寺川北沢第十四号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004863
- 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
