Lake Biwa Canal Museum of Kyoto

Highlight

Surveying chart depicting the canal between Kyoto and the Otsu area of Lake Biwa on display in the first exhibit room

Birth and history of canal that sustained Kyoto

Flowing through Nanzenji Temple and Philosopher’s walk, this canal was completed in 1890 as part of the effort to modernize Kyoto. Besides bringing in a stable water supply for industry and household consumption, the canal provided a route directly through the mountains between Kyoto and Lake Biwa in Shiga, thus stimulating interaction and commerce.
In this museum, marking the centenary of the first canal’s construction, various exhibits tell of the amazing engineering feat that is an inspirational legacy being handed down through generations. On the 1st floor, the canal building process from planning to construction is introduced, featuring the canal construction plans and design drawings and equipment used in the work. Meanwhile, the exhibits in the other floor depict the role accomplished by the canal, the “big three projects” being undertaken by Kyoto City a century or more ago, and a diorama of the Okazaki area.