Japan to list historic canal as national treasure
The Agency for Cultural Affairs made the announcement on Friday.
An expert panel singled out five facilities, including a brick aqueduct at Nanzenji Temple, three tunnels, and a railway for transporting boats up and down a slope.
They were constructed during the Meiji era in the late 19th century, when Japan adopted engineering and construction technologies from the West.
The experts say the facilities are profoundly significant because they became an essential part of Kyoto's landscape.
The agency also says a set of 24 structures along the canal will be designated as important cultural properties.
And so will "Tower of the Sun," a landmark in Osaka Prefecture designed by artist Okamoto Taro. The work served as the centerpiece of the 1970 World Expo.
The expert panel says the event has come to symbolize Japan's postwar economic boom.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
8 hours ago
- Japan Times
Donki operator plans 250 new stores in tourism bet
Japanese retailer Pan Pacific International Holdings plans to open 250 new stores by 2035, in a bet on continued surging foreign tourism. The Don Don Donki store operator is aiming to drive tax-free visitor sales and expand in locations of key tourist travel routes, according to a earnings presentation Monday. Pan Pacific set its 2035 goal for ¥400 billion ($2.7 billion) in tax-free sales, after a record ¥174.2 billion in tax-free sales for fiscal year 2025, driven by increased store traffic from international customers. The move comes as the government is targeting 60 million annual visitors by 2030, thanks to surging post-pandemic global tourism and a weak yen driving record inbound numbers.
NHK
9 hours ago
- NHK
Anti-terror efforts underway ahead of TICAD meet in Yokohama
Police and Japan's Coast Guard are tightening security at a district in Yokohama City, near Tokyo, where the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD, is to be held later this week. The Japan-led tri-annual forum will take place over three days from Wednesday in the Minato Mirai waterfront in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. On Monday, more than 30 police officers and divers of the 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters were seen diving into the waters facing the conference venue to check for suspicious objects. A sniffer dog was also dispatched to search for explosives hidden under things such as vending machines. Police are urging visitors to the Minato Mirai district to use public transportation as nearby roads may be subject to traffic restrictions while the event is underway. Kono Tomonari, of the 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, is in charge of security for TICAD. He told NHK that the event is expected to bring together VIPs from Japan and abroad, and a great number of attendees. He expressed readiness to be fully prepared in addressing safety, while joining hands with the police and the city of Yokohama.
NHK
2 days ago
- NHK
Crowds peak on trains, flights as summer holidaymakers head home
Throngs of travelers returning from their hometowns and holiday destinations are crowding railways and airports as Japan's mid-August Bon holiday season wraps up. Japan Railway companies say congestion on Shinkansen bullet trains bound for Tokyo is peaking on Sunday. All Nozomi services -- the fastest trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen line connecting Tokyo and Osaka -- require reservations during the Bon holidays. Before Sunday noon, almost all the seats on those trains bound for the capital were booked for both morning and afternoon departures on the day. The same was true for bullet trains heading from northern Japan to Tokyo, such as Hayabusa, Komachi and Tsubasa. Domestic flights heading to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, Osaka and some other destinations are also crowded. Japan Airlines says bookings have been peaking since Saturday through Sunday. All Nippon Airways reports that reservations for Sunday are the second highest this month after Thursday. The Japan Road Traffic Information Center says it seems that congestion on expressways peaked from Friday to Saturday. But traffic jams are still expected on some stretches on Sunday. No major traffic jams had been reported on expressways toward Tokyo as of 11 a.m. on Sunday. But congestion is forecast in the afternoon, including a 25-kilometer backup on the Kan-Etsu Expressway near the Sakado-nishi interchange in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo. The center also expects a 20-kilometer backup on the Tomei Expressway near the Ayase interchange in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo.
