The Water Supply Project That Helped Modernize Kiryu
Kiryu began surveying potential water sources for a modern municipal water supply system in 1922. Several locations, including the Watarase River and Kiryu River, were initially considered as possible sources.
The project was temporarily postponed following the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Surveys resumed in 1927, and the area along the left bank of the Watarase River was eventually selected because it had abundant groundwater and favorable water quality.
Construction of the water supply facilities began in 1930 and was completed in 1932. A water-supply inauguration ceremony was held in April of that year, marking the beginning of municipal water distribution to Kiryu.
The project represented a major investment, costing approximately five times the city’s annual budget at the time. For Kiryu, which had already developed as an important industrial center, the completion of the waterworks marked another major step toward becoming a modern city.
A Beautiful and Modern Western-Style Building
Suidoyama Memorial Hall was constructed in 1932 as the former water distribution station office. It is a single-story wooden building with a floor area of approximately 157 square meters.
The building stands partway up Mount Suidoyama, also known as Mount Ozone, next to the upper-level water reservoir.
Distinctive Architectural Details
The exterior features strong vertical lines and walls finished with distinctive scratch tiles, a type of textured ceramic tile popular in early modern Japanese architecture. The roof is covered with Spanish-style tiles, giving the building the appearance of a small mountain lodge.
The design is also said to show the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most influential architects of modern architecture. The combination of Western architectural inspiration and Japanese craftsmanship gives the building a distinctive character typical of Japan’s early Showa-era modernism.
The building continued to serve as a water distribution office until 1972. After renovation work carried out from 1985 to 1986, it was given a new role as the Kiryu City Suidoyama Memorial Hall.
In 1997, the building, together with the upper and lower water reservoirs and the water-metering room, was registered as a Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property. It is now carefully preserved as part of Kiryu’s modern industrial heritage.
Exhibits Telling the Story of the Waterworks
The interior contains valuable historical materials related to the establishment of Kiryu’s water supply system.
Among the exhibits are the original application documents for approval of the waterworks project, a water distribution pipe diagram from 1932, and equipment once used for water-quality testing.
These materials provide a tangible look at the administrative work and technical knowledge required to create a modern municipal water system during the early Showa period.
A Community Facility Today
Today, the building is used as an exhibition space and meeting facility. It hosts community workshops, meetings, and other events, and also serves as a resting place for hikers exploring the surrounding hills.
Its quiet location on the mountainside makes the memorial hall a pleasant place to pause and enjoy the atmosphere of the historic building and its natural surroundings.
Suidoyama Park and the Surrounding Landscape
Suidoyama is a collective name for the hills known as Raidenyama, Ozoneyama, and Konpirasan. Together, these hills form a wooded area in the northwestern part of central Kiryu.
The area has been developed as Suidoyama Park, a popular green space for local residents. Raidenyama rises to approximately 210 meters, and a viewpoint near the summit offers views across the city.
The Straight Slope Between the Water Reservoirs
One of the area’s most distinctive sights is the steep, remarkably straight road running downhill from the upper reservoir toward the lower reservoir.
The main water distribution pipe runs underground beneath this road. Originally created as part of the city’s infrastructure, the steep route has become one of the characteristic landscapes of Suidoyama.
It is an interesting example of how the infrastructure built to support Kiryu’s modernization has also become part of the city’s scenery and heritage.
Motoshuku Water Purification Plant and the Modern Water System
Another important site to consider alongside Suidoyama Memorial Hall is the Motoshuku Water Purification Plant in Motoshukumachi.
Completed in 1932, the facility draws groundwater from the left bank of the Watarase River, filters and treats it, and then uses pumps to send the water to the distribution reservoirs on the slopes of Suidoyama.
From the reservoirs, the water is distributed to various parts of Kiryu through natural gravity flow. This system illustrates how the city’s engineers combined mechanical pumping with the natural elevation of the hills to create an efficient water distribution network.
Historic Facilities Still Preserved
It is particularly notable that structures and elements of the original waterworks system have continued to operate and remain preserved.
Facilities including the Waterworks Museum, housed in the former office building, the pump house, and the rapid filtration facility are registered as Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Properties.
Together, these sites form a valuable industrial heritage complex that helps visitors understand the technology and infrastructure of Japan’s early modern water supply systems.
The Story of Water, Industry, and the City
Suidoyama Memorial Hall is more than simply a historic building. It represents the water infrastructure that supported Kiryu’s modernization and industrial growth.
The city’s ability to make use of its abundant water resources was closely connected with the development of industry and the improvement of everyday life. The history preserved here is therefore also a story about how modern urban infrastructure transformed a regional Japanese city.
Discover Kiryu’s Modern Heritage
The elegant Western-style memorial hall, steep hillside roads, city views from the park, and historic water facilities all come together to create a distinctive sightseeing area where history, architecture, infrastructure, and nature can be experienced side by side.
For international visitors, Suidoyama Memorial Hall offers a different perspective on Japanese history. Rather than focusing only on castles, temples, or traditional streets, it reveals how Japan’s cities developed through modern engineering and public infrastructure.
When exploring Kiryu, take time to visit Suidoyama Memorial Hall and walk through the surrounding park. The experience provides a fascinating glimpse into the technological ambitions of the early Showa period while also allowing visitors to enjoy the peaceful scenery of the hills overlooking Kiryu.