About the Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam (正法寺川北沢第六号石堰堤) is a stone erosion-control dam built in 1923 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 70 metres below the No. 5 dam. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam is 26 metres along the crest and 2.4 metres high, battered at 2 bu upstream and 3 bu downstream, laid dry (Karazumi) in level courses (Nunozumi). It is the uppermost of the registered Kitasawa dams completed in 1923.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs picks out two features. The apron, paved with large blocks, survives in good condition. And on the right bank the dam is joined by a dotei hariishi, an earth embankment faced with stone, here laid at a gentle slope in the diagonal Tanizumi pattern and finished with notable precision.
The dam body keeps its joints level while the embankment facing runs them on the diagonal, so two masonry patterns meet in a single structure. The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce.
What to Look For
At the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam, find the line on the right bank where level coursing turns into diagonal. That seam marks the junction between dam and embankment.
The apron below is laid with some of the largest stones on the Kitasawa. The dam is only 2.4 metres high, but the floor that takes the falling water was built without shortcuts.
Visiting the Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 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. 5 dam is about 70 metres upstream and the No. 7 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. 6 Stone Dam
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam?
- It is on the Kitasawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It lies about 70 metres below the No. 5 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam built?
- It was built in 1923 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 the stone-faced embankment at the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 Stone Dam?
- It is an earth bank whose surface is armoured with stone, attached to the right-bank end of the dam. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it is laid at a gentle slope in the diagonal tanizumi pattern and built with precision.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Kitasawa No. 6 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. 6 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. 6 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0065 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/7/12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 26 metres, height 2.4 metres, with a stone-faced embankment 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: 正法寺川北沢第六号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004856
- 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
