Dutch Dam

The Mt. Tanakami area has been known for good quality Japanese cypress wood since ancient times, and a large number of trees were cut for the extension of Fujiwara-kyo and Heijo-kyo, and the construction of Todaiji Temple. Due to this massive deforestation, its surface with granite was exposed; therefore, the prevention of the erosion and flood control was a primary task.
The Dutch Dam is an erosion-control dam built in the upper reaches of the River Kusatsu in Kamitanakami-kiryu-cho and was completed in 1889. Johannis de Rijke, a Dutch civil engineer, was invited by the new Meiji Government to give technical advice. That is why the dam was called the Dutch Dam. A Japanese civil engineer, Tanabe Gisaburo, designed the dam. Its width is 32 meters and its height is 5.8 meters with the cut granite blocks laid between 13 and 16 layers to adjust the water flow.