Lake Biwa Canal Museum

The Lake Biwa Canal Museum features a bright red, arched brick aqueduct that extends directly through the property. This structure remains part of a nineteenth century industrial project designed to carry water from Lake Biwa to Kyoto. Engineers built this system to revive a city suffering from economic decline after the imperial capital moved to Tokyo. Tanabe Sakuro, a young engineer, took charge of the project despite skepticism from senior officials. He successfully diverted the water, powering Japan's first public streetcar line.