About the Minamisawa No. 8 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 Stone Dam (正法寺川南沢第八号石堰堤) 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 75 metres below the Minamisawa No. 7 dam. The Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 Stone Dam is 21 metres along the crest and 3.0 metres high, a gravity dam laid in diagonal Tanizumi coursing but without mortar (Karazumi). Of the eight registered Minamisawa dams, it is the only dry-laid one.
Why It Was Registered
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it uses the same rhyolitic welded tuff as the other dams, with both faces battered at 5 bu and the sides of the spillway notch at 1 wari 6 bu. On a river where 2 or 3 bu is usual, 5 bu is a markedly gentle slope.
A dry-laid wall holds its load by weight and interlock alone. Laying the faces back and widening the base appears to have been the way to keep the stones from shifting. The Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 Stone Dam was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country.
What to Look For
Look at the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 Stone Dam from the side to see how far back its faces lean compared with the other Minamisawa dams.
With no mortar in the joints, shadows sit in the gaps between stones, and the diagonal pattern of the tanizumi reads more deeply than on the mortared dams.
Visiting the Minamisawa No. 8 Stone Dam
The Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 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. 7 dam is about 75 metres upstream and No. 9-1 about 65 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. 8 Stone Dam
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 Stone Dam?
- It is on the Minamisawa ravine of the Shohoji River in Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It lies about 75 metres below the Minamisawa No. 7 dam.
- When and why was the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 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. 8 Stone Dam the only dry-laid dam on the Minamisawa?
- The sources do not say. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records that it is dry-laid tanizumi with both faces battered at 5 bu and the notch sides at 1 wari 6 bu, gentle slopes that likely give the dry wall its stability.
- Can I see the Shohoji River Minamisawa No. 8 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. 8 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. 8 Stone Dam |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimo-Oginoto, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 06-0082 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/11/10 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 dam |
| Dimensions | Crest length 21 metres, height 3.0 metres |
| 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: 正法寺川南沢第八号石堰堤
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004891
- 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
