2023 Volume 18 Issue 2 Pages 367-379
This study revealed the characteristics of the remains of the waterworks constructed by the city of Kure in 1943, combining field surveys in Higashi-Hiroshima and Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, and the national land register data from the Ministry of Justice. We also discussed the possibility of using national data. Based on field survey, we found that at least 192 remains are related to the former waterworks of Kure City. Using the national data, we confirmed that narrow lots ∼3 m wide still exist along the remains, extending for a length of ∼10.7 km. These lots were acquired by the city of Kure to construct a drinking water supply route from Higashi-Hiroshima to Kure. Since the former Japanese naval base established in Kure supported the water supply construction project, the remains revealed in this study are considered to be valuable cultural assets as war remains that convey the indirect effects of the war to the present. Using the national data has enabled more precise mapping and reduced the labor and expense of viewing them.
