Toyama Kurobe Dam | Japan's Tallest Dam
Toyama Kurobe Dam at a height of 186 meters, or 610 feet, is Japan's tallest dam. The dam took almost seven years to construct, from 1956 to 1963 and cost over 51.3 billion yen. The construction of the dam was far from easy. One of the greatest obstacles of constructing the dam was transporting the materials to the construction site due to there being only one small railway that was accessible. This led to the construction of the Kanden Tunnel under Tateyama, or Mt. Tate, to create a more accessible path to the construction site. It had not been too long since World War II had ended and the Toyama Kurobe Dam played a significant role in the country's industrialization.
If you have a chance to be in Toyama, don't miss out on getting a glimpse of this magnificent dam. There is not an observatory where visitors can get a panoramic view of the dam from 1,508 meters high. Another popular spot to view the dam is from the top of the dam itself, while walking across the walkway. From late June to mid October, up to 15 tons of water are spectacularly discharged through the dam every second. Sightseeing cruises are operated on the lake from June to early November. Don't miss this view of the magnificent dam with the breathtaking backdrop of the mountains.
