Nanzen-ji Suirokaku, Kyoto

In the precincts of Nanzenji Temple there is “Suirokaku” (a high-rise waterway structure) which was created to draw water of Lake Biwa into Kyoto city. It was built in 1890, it passed through Nanzenji Temple’s precincts and was designed to be designed with consideration of the surrounding landscape.
Lake Biwa Canal Water plays an important role not only to carry drinking water but also as a waterway through which ships can pass. “Suirokaku” of Nanzenji Temple is a modern and stately design with arched pier made of brick and granite. Many of the large-scale brick buildings built in the Meiji era were designed by foreigners, but Suirokaku was designed and built by only Japanese people.
Suirokaku is a popular tourist attraction among Nanzenji Temple and at the same time, it continues to send water of Lake Biwa to Kyoto City as an active waterway.
Although Suirokaku is a Western style design, it blends in the scenery of Nanzenji Temple without discomfort. There are many trees in the surroundings, and it is a place where you can enjoy a beautiful landscape in harmony with the buildings created by people. It is a beautiful place no matter when you visit. However, it is said that the time of autumn leaves is the most beautiful, and it is crowded with many tourists. It is recommended to visit early in the morning. It is possible to visit it from 8:40 a.m. In this time there are no group customers, so you can take pictures slowly.
Suirokaku is one of the best photography spots in Nanzenji Temple. It is common to take a picture of Suirokaku with maple trees and a mountain gate, but depending on the shooting location, you can shoot a picture of an exotic emotion that can not be thought of as a temple precinct. It is recommended to shoot in various places.

An important cultural property and the national treasure classes

Suirokaku is a brick aqueduct bridge which becomes a part of branch line of Biwako Sosui, and has passed through the precincts in Nanzen-ji in Kyoto which is a famous temple of Kyoto.
Biwako Sosui (Lake Biwa Canal) is a waterway that was built to transport water from Lake Biwa to Kyoto City.
Nanzen-ji is a high Zen temple of social status, and has a Buddhist temple of an important cultural property and the national treasure classes, such as a noted yard and Sanmon (three gates), even in Kyoto. The place where the people who visited Nanzen-ji Temple almost always drop in at is Suirokaku.

Aqueduct bridge

It is said that Suirokaku of Nanzen-ji was made as an aqueduct bridge for carrying the water in Lake Biwa to the town in Kyoto in 1890, and played the big role in the industrial prosperity of Kyoto. Moreover, the first hydroelectric power station in Japan was built at the the same period as completion of this Suirokaku. Suirokaku of 93.2 meters in full length (4 meters in width, 14 meters in high) was a modern brick building as that time.

Reference aqueduct bridge of the Roman Empire

This Suirokaku said to have been designed by reference aqueduct bridge of the Roman Empire, although it tends to be considered mismatch with the Tatchu (minor temple in the site of main temple) of Nanzen-ji, the surrounding nature, but if it actually visits, a form with a retro arch type bridge pier and taste of bricks blend with nature, and constitute one scene.

Against building

There was opposition against building Suirokaku in the precinct of Nanzen-ji Temple as some feared it would be a threat to the beauty of the ancient capital (Yukichi FUKUZAWA was said to be against it), but Suirokaku is now famous as a typical scenic spot in Kyoto as it often appears in TV drama scenes.

Spectacle with emotion

The figure of the beautiful arch which followed in succession, the scene of this tasteful West building have been used in many dramas, CM. Many tourists visit even now and a sight which takes a commemorative photo involuntarily facing a spectacle with this emotion is caught.

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