About the Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam (正法寺川南沢第七号石堰堤) is a stone erosion-control dam built in 1926 on the Minamisawa ravine 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 80 metres below the Minamisawa No. 6 dam. At 17 metres along the crest and only 1.5 metres high, the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam is the lowest of the registered stone dams on the Shohoji River. It is a mortared gravity dam in diagonal Tanizumi coursing, battered at 3 bu on both faces, with revetments and an apron.
Why It Was Registered
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the dam was kept low to sit within the landform, and the corners of its spillway notch are rounded. Most Minamisawa dams stand around 3 metres high; here the builders settled for half that to suit the ground.
The apron in front is paved with squared stones about 50 centimetres on a side. The Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country.
What to Look For
At the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam, look at the apron: squared blocks roughly 50 centimetres across, laid in even rows like paving.
Because the dam is so low, the rounded corners of the spillway notch are easy to see up close. Softening the edge keeps overflowing water from chipping the stone.
Visiting the Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 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 Minamisawa No. 6 dam is about 80 metres upstream and No. 8 about 75 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 Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam?
- It is on the Minamisawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It lies about 80 metres below the Minamisawa No. 6 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam built?
- It was built in 1926 as part of the second 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 Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam so low?
- It was deliberately kept low to fit the landform. The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives its height as 1.5 metres, about half that of the other Minamisawa dams.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 7 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 Minamisawa No. 7 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 Minamisawa No. 7 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0081 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/11/10 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 17 metres, height 1.5 metres, with bank 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: 正法寺川南沢第七号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004890
- 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
