About the Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam (正法寺川北沢第三号石堰堤) 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 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
It lies about 50 metres below the No. 2 dam. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam is a gravity dam of stone, 27 metres along the crest and 4.6 metres high, battered at 2 bu on the upstream face and 3 bu downstream.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, like the other Kitasawa dams, the No. 3 dam is built of rhyolitic welded tuff, a rock formed when hot volcanic ash settled and fused. It dresses readily into squared blocks. Here it is laid dry (Karazumi) in level courses (Nunozumi), and revetments survive on both banks; the Agency describes the dam as well preserved.
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce. A century after construction, dam and bank walls still stand together much as they were built, which makes this one of the best-kept structures on the Kitasawa.
What to Look For
At the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam, look closely at the stone itself. Welded tuff can show flattened streaks and fine grains in its face, and the colour shifts between wet and dry surfaces, so the dam looks different on a bright day and after rain.
The revetments run from the ends of the dam into the banks, locking the wings to the hillside. Try to find where the coursing of the dam gives way to that of the retaining walls; it hints at the order in which the masons worked.
Visiting the Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 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. 2 dam is about 50 metres upstream and the No. 4 dam about 60 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. 3 Stone Dam
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam?
- It is on the Kitasawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It lies about 50 metres below the No. 2 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 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.
- What stone is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 Stone Dam made of?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, rhyolitic welded tuff, the same stone used in the other Kitasawa dams. It is laid dry in level courses, and the revetments on both banks survive, leaving the dam in good condition.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 3 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. 3 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. 3 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0062 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/7/12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 27 metres, height 4.6 metres, with bank revetments |
| 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: 正法寺川北沢第三号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004853
- 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
