Uji River

Taikō Embankment

The Taikō Embankment (宇治川太閤堤跡, Uji-gawa taikō zutsumi ato) was constructed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi on the right bank of the Uji River. Hideyoshi took the opportunity of the construction of Fushimi Castle, completed in 1594 to carry out large-scale flood control works such as rerouting the Uji River and Yodo River. Until then, the Uji River had branched off downstream of Ujibashi Bridge and flowed northwest, merging with Ogura Pond, but was now merged into a channel flowing north and led to Fushimi Castle. Some remains of the embankment survive into present-day in Todomaruyama, Uji Otogata, and other locations in Uji city. Parts that have been excavated include a bank and a sluice gate for regulating the water flow. The bank is thought to have continued in a straight line for about 400 meters (1,300 ft), and was built using various construction methods to reflect the topography. The sluice gate has stone protrusions and pile protrusions, and three stone protrusions have been confirmed at approximately 90 meters (300 ft) intervals. The plan is trapezoidal, with the front facing the river forming a gentle curve. The sides are made of stone walls, the inside of which is filled with broken stones, giving it the appearance of stone walls of a castle. The Taiko Embankment was gradually was buried by flooding and it is now outside the river area, so it is in an extremely well-preserved state. It was designated a National Historic Site in 2009. It is a short walk from Uji Station on the Keihan Electric RailwayUji Line.