“Twenty Villages Water Gate Memorial Stone”. Does the name sound enigmatic? Let me tell you the story behind this monument. You are standing before a piece of history. It’s the \u4e8c\u5341\u7b87\u7528\u6c34\u6a0b\u8a18\u5ff5\u7891.
The \u4e8c\u5341\u7b87\u7528\u6c34\u6a0b\u8a18\u5ff5\u7891 commemorates a vital piece of infrastructure. It remembers the water gate that once stood here. This gate was essential for local agriculture.
Back in the late 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the Bunroku embankment. The embankment cut off the Neyagawa River’s flow. This caused water shortages for nearby villages.
The villages needed water for their farms. So, they built a water gate to draw water from the Neyagawa River. At first, only six villages participated in this project. These were the original Tomorogi Gobuchi villages.
Over time, more villages joined the initiative. By 1725, twenty villages were irrigating their fields using this system. Thus, the name “Twenty Villages Water”. The \u4e8c\u5341\u7b87\u7528\u6c34\u6a0b\u8a18\u5ff5\u7891.
In 1930, the water gate was integrated into the Go Gate Association of Hirakata. A main irrigation canal was constructed. The memorial stone you see was erected that year. It was named after the local administrator.
The \u4e8c\u5341\u7b87\u7528\u6c34\u6a0b\u8a18\u5ff5\u7891 stands near the levee of the Neyagawa River. It is surrounded by factories and the embankment. The area used to have a lock.
The water gate was about 37 meters long. It crossed the Neyagawa River levee. This shows how wide the Neyagawa embankment was at the time.
The Twenty Villages Water supplied water to the river basin. It was known for its abundant water flow along the shore. The water flowed powerfully.
Today, the canal mostly functions as a drainage canal. Much of it is now underground. However, the \u4e8c\u5341\u7b87\u7528\u6c34\u6a0b\u8a18\u5ff5\u7891 remains.
The Tomorogi irrigation canal merges with the Neyagawa canal. The Neyagawa canal passes under the Neyagawa drainage canal. This happens through a three-dimensional intersection.
The Neyagawa canal usually takes water from the Neyagawa River. It then replenishes the Neyagawa River. During floods, it diverts water to the Taijii drainage station.
The Neyagawa River once had eight weirs. These included the \u4e8c\u5341\u7b87\u7528\u6c34\u6a0b\u8a18\u5ff5\u7891 and the Mandano weir. These weirs posed a risk to the embankment.
The weirs were consolidated into a cooperative gate. This runs 16 kilometers along the Neyagawa River’s left bank. This canal is now a famous cherry blossom spot.
Standing here, you can appreciate the ingenuity of past generations. They managed water resources. The \u4e8c\u5341\u7b87\u7528\u6c34\u6a0b\u8a18\u5ff5\u7891 is a reminder. It tells of their efforts to sustain their communities. It is a simple stone. Yet, it embodies centuries of history.