Japan is a country whose technological and scientific advancements have often been lightyears ahead of the rest of the world. Although this country is known for many things, like its food, culture, and natural beauty, it is also known for its constructions. Among these constructions are dams, some of which that have been around for several centuries!
In this article, we took a closer look at some of the oldest dams in Japan, how long they have been around, and where they are located. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at them.
6 Oldest Dams in Japan
Ōigawa Dam
Location: Shizuoka Prefecture
Year: 1934
Purpose of Dam: Hydroelectric Power
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Just like some of the other dams mentioned on our list, the Ōigawa Dam was also built on the Ōi River. After the Meiji government learned of this river’s potential, it built several dams throughout its course.
This dam is also a solid-core gravity dam, and it was made from concrete. Since it is located near the Ōigawa Railway Ikawa Line, its construction was easy.
Did you know?
The Ōigawa Dam contains a hydroelectric power generating station.
Senzu Dam
Location: Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Year: 1930
Purpose of Dam: Hydroelectric Power
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Senzu Dam was first constructed in 1930, making it one of the oldest dams in Japan. It’s interesting to note that this dam was located on the Sumata River, which is a tributary of the Ōi River, one of the most powerful rivers in the country, and a river that has several dams built on it.
This dam took around five years to complete, and the project was finished by the Hazama Corporation. It has dual spillways, and is a concrete dam with a solid core.
Did you know?
The Senzu Dam is currently maintained and operated by a company called the Chubu Electric Power Company.
Tashiro Dam
Location: Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Honshū, Japan
Year: 1924
Purpose of Dam: Production of Electricity
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Tashiro Dam is a concrete gravity dam that was constructed to be a non-overflow and solid core dam as well. Its history is quite interesting as well. Back at the beginning of the 20th century, the Meiji government realized that there was a lot of potential for hydroelectric power development in the Oi River valley.
Since the river in this valley was known for its powerful flow and fast current, it was the ideal location to install a dam.
After some years of negotiation and planning, the Anglo-Japanese Hydroelectric Company was established and later on, the British were also brought in. The dam’s construction began in 1924, and was completed four years later in 1928.
Did you know?
The Tashiro Dam is surrounded by the peaks of the Minami Alps National Park on three different sides.
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Ōi Dam
Location: Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Year: 1922
Purpose of Dam: Production of Electricity
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Ōi Dam is built on the Kiso River, making it the first dam to be built on this river! Since the Kiso River’s upper portions are known for its strong flow, both in volume and speed, it was the perfect place to build and locate a hydroelectric dam.
However, although there was a great public interest in the idea of the hydroelectric dam, building one on this river was difficult due to the constant flooding in the area.
However, the Ōi Dam was eventually built and was considered to be one of the greatest successes and achievements in the Gifu Prefecture. Additionally, a businessman named Momosuke Fukuzawa also considered the construction of this dam one of his greatest lifetime achievements.
Did you know?
The Ōi Dam is Japan’s largest gravity dam and was also the first hydroelectric dam built on a full scale in Japan.
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Nunobiki Dam
Location: Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Year: 1897
Purpose of Dam: Irrigation
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Nunobiki Dam is another of the oldest dams in Japan. This dam was first constructed in 1897, and its construction was completed by 1900. It is located at the foot of a stream that comes from the mountain Nunohiki and is very close to the waterfall from the same mountain.
It’s interesting to note that although a modern water supply plan was created in 1887, a professor named William Barton who was from the British Ministry of Engineering came up with the idea of an earth-filled dam.
Barton suggested that this dam have a capacity of over 30 million tonnes, and once his plan was approved, this dam’s construction began.
Did you know?
The Nunobiki Dam was given the designation of a historical heritage site after 2006. This was due to the modernization of the water supply and various water resources.
Sayama Pond Dam
Location: Ōsakasayama, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Year: 6th century
Purpose of Dam: Flood control and Irrigation
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
What’s interesting about the Sayama Dam is that it is one of the oldest dams in the entire country, with locals from the area claiming that it is the oldest dam in Japan.
It is located in Ōsakasayama in the Osaka Prefecture and was most likely completed during the Kofun to Asuka period. However, although we have a rough idea of when this dam was constructed, we don’t actually know why!
Still, it’s interesting to note that the Sayama Pond Dam only received its flood control status in 1998. This was because the area around the dam was turned into a public park. In the centuries before all of this, the Sayama Pond Dam faced various structural and functional issues.
Its embankment collapsed in 762. Over the years, this dam was also maintained by different Japanese families, and its control passed from one family to the next over the years.
Did you know?
The Sayama Dam was given the designation of a National Historic Site in 1946. It was later listed as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure as well some years later.
Conclusion
In this article, we took a closer look at some of the oldest dams in Japan. These dams have contributed to the lives of so many people across the country, many of whom probably don’t realize that the dams have played such a significant role in their lives!
Many of the dams on our list were located in and around the same area. We included this because we thought that that bit of information was super interesting! We hope that you enjoyed reading this article, and that you learned something new from it.
