A Study on Flood Control Techniques on the Sakawa River in the Tokugawa Era

in relation to “Bunmei” embankment

Abstract

Flood control techniques of the Tokugawa era have not been clear until today. Some preceding relational studies have described that river improvements during the Tokugawa era were conducted by two largest river improvement schools, namely, “Kantouryu ” and “Kisyuryu ” which, accordingly, had directed flood control techniques of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Recent studies have gradually clarified the improvement works in each river in Japan during the Tokugawa era. The results are that “Kantouryu ” and “Kisyuryu ” might not have directed flood control techniques of the Tokugawa Shogunate. To find out these results, more investigation must be done on the river improvement works of the Tokugawa era in each Japanese river. As one of the studies in this new standpoint, this study is aimed at making clear the flood control techniques during the Tokugawa era in Sakawa river running in west Kanagawa Prefecture.