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The tour of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel

Article writtenOct.10th, 2020
Jan. 11th, 2020
A tour of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel. Seeing the huge Pressure-adjusting Water Tank, also known as the "Underground shrine".
Recommend viewing in landscape mode.
Recommend viewing in landscape mode.
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The Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel is an underground waterway that connects 5 medium-sized rivers flowing through Saitama prefecture, in order to divert flood water to Edo river to prevent floods. It is a tunnel 50m beneath the ground and 6.3km long. A part of in went into service in 2002, and the remaining part in 2006.

A part of the eastern end of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel, around the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station, is open to the public as The tour of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel, and the the huge Pressure-adjusting Water Tank, often refered to as the "Underground shrine", can be seen. Paricipating on a tour of the "Underground shrine".

01

【About】Arrived at the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station in Kasukabe city.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

02

【About】It is a little early, looking around.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

03

【About】Shōwa Drainage Pump Station is a facility to pump up the water that flowed through the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel to discharge it into the Edo river.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

04

【About】The monument in front of the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

05

【About】This monument is made from the remains of a tunnel boring machine.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

06

【About】This cutting shield remained to the tunnel boring machine that digged the tunnel 1396m long, between the No.2 Bank and No.1 Bank. There are 688 cutting bits on its face.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

07

【About】Edo river flows besides the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

08

【About】The Drainage Sluiceway connecting the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station and Edo river.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

09

【About】The water that flowed from the underground waterway is discharged into Edo river.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

10

【About】The full view of the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

11

【About】In the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station, there is an exibition hall called "Ryū-Q-kan" to intorduce the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

12

【About】It is almost time for the tour, going back to the "Ryū-Q-kan".
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

13

【About】Entering the "Ryū-Q-kan".
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

14

【About】The 1st floor is a Citizen Gallery, with a panel introducing the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

15

【About】By the stairway is the "Stratum tower", made from a stratum found during the excavation for the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

16

【About】"Stratum tower" is 24m high, and contains a layer consisting of fossils of shellfishe, from more than 125 thousand years ago.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

17

【About】On the mezzanine is a scale model of the Tunnel boring machine used to dig the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

18

【About】Many filmings has taken place in the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel, and panels on the wall of the corridor of the 2nd floor intorduces them.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

19

【About】A scene of the movie "Fly Me to the Saitama" was shot in the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank too.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

20

【About】At the far end, is the tour reception.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

21

【About】Receiving the participation certificate of the tour. And a "Dam card" of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel and a sticker for souvenir.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

22

【About】The exhibition hall where the tour reception is. There are many displays introducing the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

23

【About】The control room of the whole Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel can be seen through a window.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

24

【About】A scale model of the Drain pump facility to pump up the water that flowed through the underground waterway.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

25

【About】The Edo river can be seen from the window.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

26

【About】It is time for the tour, returning to the 1st floor.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

27

【About】The tour starts in front of the panel showing the mechanism of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel, with guidance by staff.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

28

【About】There is a smartphone app for audio guide in multiple languages, and another app to have a simulated experience of the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank filled with water, in augmented reality.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

29

【About】Leaving the "Ryū-Q-kan", walking to the enterance of the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank, lead by staff.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

30

【About】The Pressure-adjusting Water Tank is beneath this soccer field.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

31

【About】At the enterance to the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank at the other end of the soccer field.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

32

【About】Going down the stairs after some instructions by the staff. No taking photos on the stairs.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

33

【About】After going down 116 steps, at the bottom of the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank, 22m under ground level.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

34

【About】After a breif instructions, it is free time.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

35

【About】The Pressure-adjusting Water Tank supported by huge pillars is a facility to adjust the water pressure of the water that flows in from the underground waterway.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

36

【About】The water tank is connected to the No.1 Bank at one end. Visitors can go as far as the rope.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

37

【About】The water that flowed through the underground waterway comes up the No.1 bank and reaches the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

38

【About】Sun light leaking from the ceiling. There is a hatch to bring bulldozers into this water tank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

39

【About】The mud, carried into this water tank by water, is removed by bulldozers.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

40

【About】These columns are to stop bulldozers, so they won't fall into the No.1 Bank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

41

【About】Some mud remains where bulldozers cannot go. Also, the area where visitors enter is cleaned by hand.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

42

【About】Looking at the direction of the pumps from near the No.1 Bank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

43

【About】The huge pillars are 18m high, and 2m thick.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

44

【About】Each pillar is 7m long, and weighs about 500t each.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

45

【About】This water tank is 177m long, and 78m wide, and has 59 of these huge pillars. This is the farthest point visitors are allowed to go.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

46

【About】These huge pillars pushes down the floor of the water tank, so it won't rise up by the buoyant force of ground water.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

47

【About】Looking back at the No.1 Bank again.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

48

【About】There is a mark on the pillar used as a guide to control the pumps.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

49

【About】There is a photo frame too.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

50

【About】The solemn sight is referred to as the "Underground shrine"
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

51

【About】The free time, about 20 minutes long, has finished, and going up the stairs again.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

52

【About】Above ground again.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

53

【About】Next is the No.1 Bank, nearby.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

54

【About】This time the tour is divided into 2 groups, since the viewing point inside is small.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

55

【About】Getting in.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

56

【About】The viewing point is just below a short spiral staircase.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

57

【About】A cat walk in the upper part of the No.1 Bank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

58

【About】The inner diameter of this huge shaft is 30m, and more than 70m deep.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

59

【About】The underground waterway connects in the left.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

60

【About】There is some water in the bottom of the shaft, with some fish.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

61

【About】The Pressure-adjusting Water Tank can be seen too.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

62

【About】Looking below from the other side of the catwalk.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

63

【About】According to the staff, some visitors dropped their phones into the shaft, but it will not be recovered.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

64

【About】Changing with the second group. The tour ends here after returning the participation certificate.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

65

【About】The exterior of the enterance to the No.1 Bank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

66

【About】The top of the No.1 Bank is a skatepark. The circular concrete surface shows the size of the shaft.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

67

【About】This is the hatchway to bring in bulldozers to the Pressure-adjusting Water Tank.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

68

【About】Looking at the drainage pump station from the soccer field.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

69

【About】Looking around the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station, before leaving.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

70

【About】A part of the drainage facility can be seen outside.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

71

【About】Leaving the Shōwa Drainage Pump Station of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel, under the setting sun.
【Date】Jan.11th, 2020 【Location】Kasukabe, Saitama

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