Atagoyama Cave Tombs and the remains of the Atagoshimo Hydroelectric Power Plant, a mix of ancient and modern caves (Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture)

In the center of Sendai city, about 2km south of JR Sendai Station, across the Atago Bridge, on a cliff along the Hirose River, there is an archaeological site dotted with strange caves

This is an archaeological site called the Atagoyama Cave Tombs , and nearby are the remains of a hydroelectric power plant that was in operation from the Taisho to Showa periods. It's a mysterious spot with lots of "holes" in it

The holes are actually a group of cave tombs built around the 7th or 8th century

The hole is located halfway up Mount Atago along the Hirose River, and the nearest station is Atagobashi Station on the Sendai Municipal Subway Namboku Line. If you check Google Maps, you'll see that it's located directly above Atago Shrine

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Atago Shrine on Mt. Atago (Sendai City) [Miyagi Prefecture], dedicated to the fire god Kagutsuchi and the guardian deity of the Years of the Dragon and Snake!

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/28029

Located in the southern part of central Sendai, Atago Shrine, perched atop Mount Atago, offers a panoramic view of Sendai city across the Hirose River, making it a famous night view spot. There are approximately 1,000 shrines bearing the "Atago" name across Japan's 43 prefectures. This article focuses on Atago Shrine, located in Mukoyama, Taihaku Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, and the Atago faith that inspired its name. What is Atago Shrine? Atago Shrine is located south of central Sendai, atop Mount Atago, 75 meters above sea level, across the Hirose River. The main deity enshrined in the main hall of Atago Shrine is Kagutsuchi, the god of fire. Amaterasu Omikami (Amaterasu Omikami) is also enshrined as a secondary deity.

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The Hirose River seen from Atago Bridge. Walk upstream along the gravel road beside the Hirose River for a while

If you walk about five minutes upstream from Atago Bridge, just above Atago Shrine, you will see a sight of many strange holes in the rock face

When we got closer, we saw that there were a lot of holes. They were all located high up on the cliff, so it was difficult to peer inside

Nearby, there is a signpost that reads "Atagoyama Cave Tombs." The signpost has the following explanation:

A cave tomb is a tomb created by digging a hole sideways into soft strata such as tuff, and does not have a burial mound. The Atagoyama cave tombs are distributed mainly on the northern slope and the southern eastern slope of Mt. Atago, and are thought to have been built in the 7th or 8th century, with the total number of cave tombs in the group exceeding 100

As described above, these tombs were constructed during the Kofun period in the 7th to 8th centuries, and together with the nearby Dainenjiyama Cave Tombs , Futatsuzawa Cave Tombs , and Mogasaki Cave Tombs around Dainenjiyama, as well as the Sozenji Cave Tombs discovered near Miyazawa Bridge downstream, they are collectively known as the Mukaiyama Cave Tombs

However, many archaeological sites, including theAtagoyama cave tombs,have been destroyed by residential development and road construction, and it seems that many have been lost without their number or location being known. Currently, this appears to be the only place where a group of tombs can be clearly seen.

The existence of the cave has been known to local people for a long time, and new holes have been discovered in the surrounding area with each development, including road excavation in 1936, construction of the Atago Bridge in 1973, road construction in 1976, and housing development in 1991, and buried human bones, Sue ware, straight swords, glass beads and other burial goods have been discovered

The remains of the Atagoshimo Hydroelectric Power Plant, which was in operation from the Taisho to Showa periods

At the very edge of the Atagoyama Cave Tombs, there is a hole and structure that appears to be made of concrete, which looks a little different from the other holes despite being lined up without any sense of incongruity

This appears to be the remains of an open-type reaction turbine from a hydroelectric power plant that was operated by Sendai Electric Industry Co., Ltd. in 1920 (Taisho 9), and was then called the "Aoba Electric Industry Power Plant." It ceased operations around 1929 (Showa 4) and remains in ruins to this day.

It is now known as the site of the Atagoshita Hydroelectric Power Plant

In the past, it was possible to explore the inside, but the entrance is now blocked off and entry is prohibited

Looking inside through the crack in the rusted and decaying door, we see many remains. Beneath a sign that says "No Parking" is written "Former Atagoshita Power Plant Research Group." These may have been left behind by someone who had investigated this place in the past

If you search for "Atagoshita Hydroelectric Power Plant" online, you will find several blogs written by people who have explored the plant in the past. If you are interested in its internal structure, please try searching for it

Atagoyama Cave Tombs ＜Information＞

• Name: Atagoyama Yokoana Tomb Group
• Address: 4-6-1 Koshiji, Taihaku-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, 982-0841
• Phone number:
• Official URL:Sendai City Official Website – Atagoyama Cave Tombs

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Aoiwa

Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs