The Quiet Path of Philosophy Born from the Cancellation of the Water Mill Project: Lake Biwa Canal Branch [Tracing the Canals of the Ancient Capital 6]

Planning Changes and the Branch Canal During Canal Construction

The first Lake Biwa Canal, completed in 1890 (Meiji 23), flowed into a hydroelectric power plant at Keage, driving the modernization of Kyoto through electricity.

The red facility visible in the back right is the intake for the Keage Power Plant.

Most of the water flows into the power plant here, but a portion flows toward the north, which is in the foreground.

This water joins with the water that has flowed through the No. 4 Tunnel on the left, marking the start of the Lake Biwa Canal Branch.

Although the branch canal was completed in the same year as the first canal, it was originally planned as a main waterway rather than a branch.

It seems the plan was to drop water from the canal flowing on the high ground to use water wheels as power to attract factories.

However, after Sakuro Tanabe, who directed the construction, returned from an inspection in the United States, he decided to build a more efficient hydroelectric power plant, so the plan to build water mills was canceled.

The only river in Kyoto City that flows north

The branch canal is a strange river that is the only one in Kyoto City to flow north toward higher elevations.

To flow against the elevation, it travels along the high ground along the mountains, utilizing a slight difference in height.

Initially, it was thought that water would be dropped from this high ground for water wheels.

Looking down to the west, through the gaps in the trees, you can see Kai-so, known for its vast garden that utilizes the canal water.

Because the water mill project was canceled, the area around Nanzen-ji Temple did not become an industrial zone, but instead became a quiet, high-class villa district.

Kai-so also had a Western-style building designed by Goichi Takeda, but it seems it has since been relocated elsewhere.

The branch canal passes through the grounds of Nanzen-ji Temple.

This is the Nanzen-ji Suirokaku (Aqueduct), with its beautiful continuous brick arches.

Because there was fierce opposition from Nanzen-ji Temple regarding the construction plan, claiming it would destroy the scenery of the famous site, it seems Sakuro Tanabe designed it with the image of an ancient Roman aqueduct.

Combined with the texture of the bricks that have etched the passage of time, it is truly beautiful.

The aqueduct, built with consideration for the dignity of the ancient temple, is now designated as a National Historic Site along with other Lake Biwa Canal facilities, the first modern civil engineering structure to be so honored.

The flow of the branch canal is, as you can see, above the aqueduct.

Soon, it is drawn into the No. 5 Tunnel behind the main hall of Nanzen-ji Temple and flows northward.

Since we cannot follow the flow from here for a while, we head north along Shishigatani-dori, which runs parallel to the branch canal slightly to the west.

On the way, we come to the Ogi Dam spillway, where water flows vigorously from the mountain side.

The water of the branch canal that has passed through the No. 5 Tunnel is collected in a retarding basin called Ogi Dam, and from there, a portion flows to the Nanzen-ji boat basin via the spillway.

It goes without saying that it also supplies water to the surrounding villa area along the way.

And then, beyond the dam, the branch canal enters the No. 6 Tunnel.

When you turn right onto Reizei-dori and approach the canal, you can see the Kyoto City Water and Sewerage Bureau facility on your right, where the stone-paved slope begins.

This is the Nyakuoji Intake Pond of the Matsugasaki Water Purification Plant.

It seems that water used at the Matsugasaki Water Purification Plant, which is quite far north, is taken from the north entrance of the No. 6 Tunnel and sent via a conduit pipe.

The conduit pipe is likely buried along the canal branch all the way to Matsugasaki.

The Philosopher's Path leading to the high ground and the water mill project

Once we climbed to the top of the slope, we were able to see the flow of the canal again.

Is the water flowing out from under Nyakuoji Bridge the water that passed through the intake pond?

And from here, the quiet "Philosopher's Path" begins along the canal branch.

The name "Philosopher's Path" is said to come from the philosopher Kitaro Nishida, who would walk this path every morning lost in thought.

Indeed, from along the canal that passes through the high ground, you can see the tomb of Princess Akiko, daughter of Emperor Go-Mizunoo.

The Philosopher's Path is a well-known cherry blossom viewing spot in Kyoto, lined with thick-trunked cherry trees.

These cherry trees were donated by the Japanese-style painter Kansetsu Hashimoto, who lived along the canal branch, together with his wife, and are called "Kansetsu Cherry Trees."

Slightly up the mountain from the canal is a signpost that reads, "This way to Shunkan Sanso."

This is the site that became the stage for the Shishigatani Incident, where a plot to overthrow the Taira clan was hatched in the late Heian period.

This Shishigatani area is where a large water mill was originally planned during the initial canal construction project.

If a large-scale water mill had been built here and turned into an industrial zone, the quiet walking path known as the Philosopher's Path would likely never have been born.

Walking a little further, you will find a poem monument to Kitaro Nishida.

The philosopher who pondered on this path left behind the words: 'People are people, I am myself; regardless, I will walk the path that I walk.'

Not comparing yourself to others is the foundation for achieving happiness, isn't it?

Just to the east is the atmospheric mountain gate of Honen-in Temple.

The surrounding area is a forest also known as a habitat for giant flying squirrels.

Perhaps the fact that this environment has been maintained is thanks to the cancellation of the water mill project.

Arrived at Ginkakuji-bashi Bridge.

If you go right, you reach Ginkaku-ji Temple, but the canal and the Philosopher's Path go in the opposite direction.

There was a monument to Kansetsu Sakura, dedicated to Kansetsu Hashimoto, who planted cherry trees along the canal.

The monument is engraved with a Chinese poem that Kansetsu wrote, comparing his late wife to the cherry blossoms.

Opposite is Hakusasonso, which was Kansetsu's vast private residence.

Kansetsu, of course, drew water from the canal branch into the garden within his own residence.

Here, the canal branch crosses the Shirakawa River, which flows from the north, in a cross shape.

The canal passes under the Shirakawa River and safely crosses it using a siphon.

South of here, the two rivers flow in parallel, but it is quite interesting that while the Shirakawa flows normally from north to south, the canal branch flows in the opposite direction.

The Philosopher's Path ends before Shirakawa-dori Street, but the canal continues on.

Shirakawa Canal and Matsugasaki Water Purification Plant

Soon, the flow curves again, heading north.

From around here, the canal branch is also known as the Shirakawa Canal.

There is a significant drop at the intersection with the Shiga-goe Road, and in front of it stands a mysterious concrete structure that looks like a pillbox.

And, in the canal next to the concrete structure, a brick weir remains for regulating the water level.

This is where there used to be an intake for drawing water into the conduit leading to the Matsugasaki Water Purification Plant.

The pillbox-like structure next to it seems to be a facility for venting air from the conduit and for inspections.

Walking north, you will find the Komai Residence, home of Taku Komai, a professor of genetics at Kyoto University.

This was designed by W.M. Vories, who came to Japan for Christian missionary work.

Although I took this photo on a different day, you can also see the irresistibly beautiful curved staircase railing inside.

Along the canal, where cherry blossoms bloom in spring, beautiful architecture also remains.

To the north of that is the Gingetsu Apartment, which is said to be the model for the suspicious apartment that appears in Tomihiko Morimi's 'The Tatami Galaxy'.

There was also a unique and beautiful round stained-glass window.

A distinct sense of joy seems to emanate from this wooden apartment that has existed since before the war.

The canal branch goes under the Eizan Electric Railway tracks after crossing Kitaoji-dori Street.

In front of the gate of the Aka-no-miya Shrine by the canal, there is a 'Monument to the History of the Takano River Reclamation'.

It seems that this area, which had been devastated by flooding of the Takano River, was reclaimed and turned into new rice fields by a merchant from Osaka named Bungoya in the mid-Edo period.

The canal soon enters a culvert to cross the Takano River.

The canal runs directly underneath this part of the Takano River.

Here too, the canal crosses to the opposite bank via a siphon.

On the opposite bank is the Matsugasaki Water Purification Plant, which distributes water to the northern part of Kyoto City.

The water conduit that has been buried along the branch line reaches its end point here.

In front of the water purification plant, there are two water outlets.

The one on the right is the outlet for the branch line that has crossed under the Takano River.

The one on the left appears to be a discharge outlet from the purification plant, but almost no water is coming out.

As a result, the volume of water from here is quite meager.

On the campus of the Kyoto Institute of Technology, located north of the purification plant, the Warakuan, which was originally at Kaiyuso in Keage, has been relocated.

It is a Western-style building designed by Goichi Takeda and built in 1916 (Taisho 5).

Since Warakuan was built near the starting point of the canal branch and was relocated to the university along the same branch, it certainly has a connection to the canal.

It seems that this area is the limit for the canal branch, which has been flowing north against the elevation, so it changes its course to the southwest and goes underground again before reaching Kitaoji-dori.

Then, it crosses the Kamo River for the third time via a siphon.

From here on, while occasionally appearing above ground, it currently serves as the water source for the Horikawa Canal, the oldest canal in Kyoto.

The canal branch is the only one in Kyoto City that has flowed toward the north.

There, a quiet landscape along the canal, created by the cancellation of the water mill project, was spread out.