About the Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam (正法寺川北沢第十六号石堰堤) is a stone erosion-control dam built in 1925 and enlarged in 1942 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 November 2005.
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam is a mortared gravity dam, 48 metres along the crest and 3.0 metres high, built on a large scale with long wings. A stone-faced earth embankment is attached to the north wing, and an apron, a secondary dam and revetments lie in front of the main wall. It was added to the register in November, together with the Minamizawa dams, after dams No. 1 to No. 15 and the Kitasawa Iron Wire Gabion Groyne had been registered that July.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs places the No. 16 dam in the middle reaches of the Kitasawa and describes it as solidly built to bear sediment coming down from both the northern and southern ravines. On the prefecture's location map it is marked well below the Taisho chain of Kitasawa dams, near the downstream gabion works.
Catching the overflow on an apron and then passing it over a secondary dam, so the energy is broken in two stages, is one of the more thorough arrangements on the river. What the 1942 enlargement involved is not described in the published sources. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country.
What to Look For
At the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam, look for the two stages from downstream: water crosses the main crest, lands on the apron, then spills over the secondary dam before rejoining the bed.
At 48 metres, this is the longest of the registered stone dams on the Shohoji River. Include the stone-faced embankment on the north wing and you get a real sense of how far the structure reaches across the valley.
Visiting the Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 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. On the prefecture's location map it is marked near the downstream gabion works.
Directions to the valley and safety notes are on the page for the Shohoji River Erosion Control Facilities.
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Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam?
- It is on the Kitasawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. The Agency for Cultural Affairs places it in the middle reaches of the Kitasawa.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam built?
- It was built in 1925 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. It was enlarged in 1942.
- When was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 Stone Dam built and enlarged?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs database, it was built in 1925 and enlarged in 1942. The published sources do not say what the enlargement involved.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 16 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. 16 Stone Dam become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 10 November 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. 16 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0078 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/11/10 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 48 metres, height 3.0 metres, with a stone-faced embankment, secondary dam, revetments and 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: 正法寺川北沢第十六号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004887
- 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
