A Beautiful Japanese Water Tower

In the Sannomaru area of Mito, where traditional Edo-period Japanese buildings remain, there stands a rather out-of-place Western dome. The bright structure is a defunct water tower, which once played a crucial role in distributing water throughout the city.

In 1932, the modern water system was introduced to Mito. To best distribute all the water, the planners split the city into two zones. Though the upper city tower was a typical steel structure, the one made for the downtown zone was highly decorative.