Overview
Mishogawa Dam is a modest concrete gravity dam built on the Mishogawa River, part of the Nishiki River system, in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Standing about 21.8 metres tall with a crest length of 101.5 metres, it is small as dams go, yet it plays an important role as a flood-control dam managed by Yamaguchi Prefecture, shielding the downstream area from flooding. Its reservoir is named Gose-no-Ko, a quiet sheet of water tucked among the hills. Rather than a flashy tourist site, it offers the plain, restful scenery of a mountain river and a stone-grey barrage.
Highlights
- ●The clean straight lines of the 101.5-metre concrete gravity barrage
- ●Views over Gose-no-Ko, the reservoir set quietly among the hills
- ●Its unusual role as a dam built purely for flood control
- ●The rural riverside scenery of the Mishogawa in the Nishiki system
History
Mishogawa Dam was planned as part of postwar flood-control works and completed in 1958. With a catchment area of only about 21.3 square kilometres, it is designed to catch the sudden surges of the Mishogawa River and regulate floods to protect the downstream districts of Iwakuni. Built purely for flood control rather than for power generation or water supply, it has quietly supported the region for decades. For details on management and whether visits are permitted, please check official sources.
Access
The dam sits in a mountainous part of Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, at roughly 34.13 degrees north and 132.15 degrees east. The simplest approach is to drive north from central Iwakuni along the Mishogawa River. Public transport access is limited, so a private car or rental car is the practical choice, and some stretches of the mountain road are narrow, so drive with care. Please confirm current routes and parking availability through official information or a map service.
Best season
The fresh greenery of early summer and the coloured slopes of autumn are especially rewarding. During the rainy season and typhoons the dam performs its true flood-control duty, but the river runs high and rough then, so it is best to visit on a fine day when water levels have settled. The stillness of Gose-no-Ko in the clear air of winter is also memorable.
Map
34.1292, 132.1508 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Drive north from central Iwakuni along the Mishogawa into the hills
- 2Arrive at the barrage and study the straight concrete dam body
- 3Take in the water of Gose-no-Ko and the surrounding hill scenery
- 4On the way back, pair the trip with Iwakuni sights such as Kintaikyo Bridge
Did you know?
💡 At 21.8 metres its height is humble compared with major dams, yet it does its job well as a flood-control dam handling a small catchment. The elegant name of its reservoir, Gose-no-Ko, is one more small pleasure of a visit here.
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