About the Kitasawa No. 4 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 Stone Dam (正法寺川北沢第四号石堰堤) 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 stands about 60 metres below the No. 3 dam. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 Stone Dam is a gravity dam 34 metres along the crest and 4.6 metres high, battered at 2 bu upstream and 3 bu downstream, laid dry (Karazumi) in level courses (Nunozumi) and flanked by revetments.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs draws attention to its elevation. The spillway notch (mizutōshi), the lowered section of crest that carries the water over, is pushed toward the left bank rather than centred, so the dam looks lopsided when seen head-on.
The same entry records that the prefecture's erosion-control surveys in the Taisho period were led by its engineer Kohata Chōmei (木幡長命). The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce: each structure was shaped to the survey and set by hand, a process that cannot be repeated under the same conditions today.
What to Look For
The best view of the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 Stone Dam is from downstream, facing the dam. With the notch near the left bank, the falling water hugs one side of the ravine while a long wing stretches away to the right.
The No. 10 dam further down also sets its spillway toward the left bank. Seeing both makes it clear that the engineers placed the fall of water to suit the ground.
Visiting the Kitasawa No. 4 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 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. 3 dam is about 60 metres upstream and the No. 5 dam about 45 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. 4 Stone Dam
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 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. 3 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 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 is unusual about the shape of the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 Stone Dam?
- Its spillway notch is set toward the left bank instead of the centre, giving an asymmetrical elevation that the Agency for Cultural Affairs highlights as characteristic.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 4 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. 4 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. 4 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0063 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/7/12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 34 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: 正法寺川北沢第四号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004854
- 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
