This dam was built to prevent landslides after a mountain upstream on the Kiwada River collapsed due to heavy rain in 1910, leading to severe damage downstream. The structure is a rockfill dam, also known as a “helmet dam” in Japan for its resemblance to a warrior’s helmet. There are eight such dams on the Kiwada River, listed on the register of national tangible cultural properties for their value to the nation as historic check dams.
