Nakama between Horikawa and Industrial Heritage

Nakama’s canals and industrial facilities tell the story of major water engineering projects, while paths, parks, and unusual finds offer a different perspective. The 12-kilometer Horikawa, the Onga River Pumping Station, burial caves, and museum collections provide various ways to explore the area’s history and landscape. The subjects that interest you most may also shape your plans for a stay in Nakama.

The Horikawa and the history of water engineering

The Horikawa, which runs through several municipalities, officially opened in 1762. Construction began in 1621 on the orders of Kuroda Nagamasa, the first daimyō of Fukuoka. The canal was intended to control flooding, transport water, and secure water for irrigation. Work was halted two years after construction began, following Nagamasa’s death, and resumed only 130 years later. The completion of Nakama Karato, the water intake gate on the Onga River, finally marked the canal’s opening.

At Nakama Karato, water regulation can be understood through a specific structure: narrow boards are inserted into the weir’s grooves to control the amount of water. The weir lies at the entrance to the man-made Horikawa and is designated a Prefectural Cultural Property. Here, the canal’s long construction history meets a clear example of engineering in practice.

Walking trails, a park, and remarkable finds

The Nakama Footpath comprises seven walking routes, each with different landscapes and points of interest. The Sokoino Course passes through rural areas rich in nature, while the Dote-no-uchi Course leads to a World Heritage site. Local high school students created the Tsudōri Course, and the Machinaka Course winds through streets with a historic townscape. The routes therefore differ not only in name, but also in what they highlight along the way.

Habu Park is Nakama’s largest city park, known for its abundant nature and lush plants that change with the seasons. A red bridge over the pond leads to the grounds of Hanyu Shrine. The park is also home to Habu Rakan Hyakuana, a group of burial caves from the late Kofun period that is designated a Prefectural Cultural Property. The park landscape and archaeological site offer visitors different points of connection to history and nature.

Museum collections and traces of industry

The Nakama Museum of History and Folklore is on the first floor of the Nakama Community Exchange Center. It features a permanent exhibition on the city’s history and holds special exhibitions. Its collections include fossils from Nakama, finds from the Jōmon, Yayoi, and Kofun periods, and materials on the Horikawa and the modern and contemporary coal industry. Folklore objects add evidence of everyday life to these subjects.

Another kind of find awaits you at the Greenway Park, established in 1989 on the site of the former Katsuki Japan National Railways line. More than 30 replicas of famous stone figures from around the world stand there, including a Moai and a Sphinx. This unusual selection makes the park a cultural attraction in its own right, alongside the area’s canal, industrial, and urban history.

The Onga River Pumping Station in Nakama is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel.” The facility began operating in 1910 to channel industrial water from the Onga River to the Yawata Steel Works. The exterior can be viewed at any time from the Onga River Pumping Station Viewpoint; tours may be interrupted due to weather. An information board and a specially designed bench are on site. Nearby, an electric pump that was used at the pumping station until a few years ago is on display.

When looking for a vacation rental in Nakama, you might first consider whether you are most interested in exploring the Horikawa’s history, the industrial facilities, the walking trails, or the park and museum. Then compare the location of a specific accommodation with your own plans for visiting. This way, your choice of where to stay can reflect the subjects that appeal to you most.

Explore more destinations: Munakata, Ōkawa, Tagawa District, Ōnojō, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Dazaifu, Yukuhashi.

For the broader travel overview: Fukuoka Prefecture.