Meiji Irrigation, Irrigation canal in Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Meiji Irrigation is a network of waterways that runs through the farming region of Aichi Prefecture, delivering water from sources to fields across the landscape. The system includes open channels with low banks alongside underground pipes, allowing water to reach different areas where farmers need it.
The canal network was built during the Meiji period (1868–1912) to solve water distribution problems in central Japan and enable more farmland to be irrigated. This infrastructure fundamentally changed regional agriculture and made more intensive farming methods possible.
The canal system shapes how local farmers organize their work and manage water resources in their daily routines. Walking through the region, you notice how the channels flow past villages and connect communities to their shared agricultural identity.
Visitors can access the canal system through paths that run alongside the waterways, especially near open channels where you get good views. The best time to visit is during the growing season, when active water flow and irrigation activity are clearly visible.
The system blends Meiji-era engineering techniques with older Japanese water management practices in a way that still works today. This combination of traditional knowledge and modern methods has kept the network functional for more than a century.
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