Kasegawa Dam, Gravity dam in Saga Prefecture, Japan
Kasegawa Dam is a gravity dam built across the Kase River in Saga Prefecture, Japan, forming a large reservoir behind it. The dam stands about 325 feet (99 meters) tall and roughly 1,495 feet (456 meters) wide, and it serves water supply, flood control, and irrigation for the area downstream.
Work on the dam started in 1973, but the project took until 2011 to reach completion, making it one of the longest-running dam construction efforts in Japan. The extended timeline was largely due to engineering difficulties encountered along the way, including the complexity of the site conditions.
The reservoir formed by the dam is a common spot for fishing and weekend walks among local residents. The rice paddies visible from the surrounding roads are fed by the water that the Kase River stores here, giving the area its rural character.
The dam offers guided tours on select days, allowing visitors to go inside the structure and see how it works from the inside. It is worth checking access conditions before you go, as availability may vary depending on the season and group size.
A community facility was built alongside the dam specifically to support the villages affected during the decades of construction. This building is still in use today and gives a sense of how the project was designed to stay connected to the people living nearby.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
