Restoration of Aiba River (Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture)

Aiba River is a 2.6km-long, 4m-wide small river, flowing east and west in the old samurai residential area in Hiyako, Emukai and Kawashima districts with the reminiscent atmosphere of a castle town. In the past there were indigo-dye shops operated by the clan on the riversides and the water was deep blue all over the river, thus this river was called Aiba (indigo-dye shop) River.
This river was used originally for supplying water for agriculture and daily living. In the middle of the Edo Period, the river was excavated so that ships could pass to transport firewood and coal.
Today, the water is still used for irrigation, disaster-prevention and daily living and the landscape and environment is conserved under a public-private partnership. As a canal, it is indispensable for civil life as a tourist spot of Hagi City, a castle town. It was designated as one of the best 100 canals in Japan and it won the "Handmade Hometown Award2 in 1988.

By JRRN-secre | Category: Community and urban river restoration,History and traditional restoration,Chugoku | Comment(0) | Trackback(0) |
Date: 2011.09.10 18:38