Akabane-Iwabuchi
Akabane-Iwabuchi
Station is located in Kita-ku (the
Kita ward of Tokyo). It is the northern-most
station on the Namboku Line, a South-North
subway line of Tokyo Metro, which
runs from Meguro Station in the
south to Akabane-Iwabuchi Station
in the north. From Akabane-Iwabuchi,
the Namboku Line inter-operates
with Saitama Rapid Railway or Saitama
Kosokutetsudo, which is actually
a continuation of Namboku Line.
Saitama starts at Akabane-Iwabuchi
Station and ends at Saitama Misono
Station in Saitama.
Place
of Interest:
A
few minutes walk from Akabane-Iwabuchi
is the must-see Iwabuchi
Sluice Gate, also known
as the Red Sluice Gate because
of its color. A sluice is a water
channel that is controlled at its
head by a gate, which slides in
grooves in the sides of the channel.
Sluice gates, traditionally made
of wood or metal plate, are used
to control water levels and flow
rates in rivers and canals.
The
residents of Kita often had to face
hardships whenever the Arakawa River
in the area surged with rain. In
the year 1910, the river overflowed
and there was catastrophic flood
in which over a million people were
displaced. It was then that the
government decided to act and had
a massive drainage canal built.
The Iwabuchi Sluice Gate was completed
in 1924 and placed at the point
where the Shingashi River joins
and the Sumida River starts. Painted
in bright red, the Iwabuchi Sluice
Gate was designed by Akira Aoyama,
the only Japanese architect who
took part in the construction of
the Panama Canal. The gate protected
the low lying area till 1982 when
it was replaced by another gate.
Today the Iwabuchi Sluice Gate,
painted in bright red, still stands
there and is one of the most compelling
sights of the area.
The
abundantly green and open area around
the Arakawa River is a favorite
sight for long walks, picnics, and
fishing. A recent feature is the
Arakawa Museum of Aqua which
illustrates what has been gained
by containing the river.
