Tsuzurao Dam

Overview

Tsuzurao Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tenno-kawa river, part of the Shingu River system, in Tenkawa Village, Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture. A concrete gravity dam standing 26.5 meters high with a crest length of 98.2 meters, it is operated by Kansai Electric Power and feeds water to the downstream Wada Power Station, generating up to 2,100 kilowatts. Begun in 1936, this historic dam sits quietly in a deep mountain gorge, a lasting witness to Japan's early era of power development.

Highlights

• ●A 26.5-meter concrete gravity dam on the Tenno-kawa river
• ●Early Showa-era power history, with construction begun in 1936
• ●Water fed to the Wada Power Station generating up to 2,100 kilowatts
• ●A scene set quietly in a deep gorge of the Kii Mountains

History

Construction of Tsuzurao Dam started in 1936 and is said to have been completed the following year, in 1937. The Tenno-kawa forms part of the Shingu River system, known upstream as the Kumano River, and its abundant flow has long driven Kansai Electric's hydropower. With a height of 26.5 meters and a crest length of 98.2 meters, it stands as a mid-scale mountain gravity dam and continues to serve as a legacy of early Showa-era power development.

Map

34.2131, 135.8350 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Drive the mountain roads of Tenkawa Village toward Tsuzurao Dam
2. 2View the gorge and reservoir from a safe vantage point
3. 3Enjoy a walk among the clear streams and forests of Tenkawa
4. 4Combine with the village's sights and hot springs for a day in the mountains

Did you know?

💡 The Wada Power Station fed by Tsuzurao Dam has a maximum output of 2,100 kilowatts, a small-to-mid-scale hydropower plant that has long harnessed the mountain waters to support the region's electricity. Its 26.5-meter concrete gravity design is a classic form that resists the water's pressure through the sheer weight of the structure.

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