Witch Hat Intake Tower – Tokyo, Japan - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

Witch Hat Intake Tower

Tokyo, Japan

An adorable intake tower with a “witch hat” stands in the Edo River. 

View all photos
The little witch of Kanamachi. Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
There is also a bowler hat tower next to it. Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
3
22
Top Places in Tokyo
Tokyo Tower Wax Museum. (R. Peter Seuffert/Atlas Obscura)
Tokyo Tower Wax Museum's Progressive Rock Room
Tokyo, Japan
Lord Kira's Residence
Tokyo, Japan
Irugi Shrine
Tokyo, Japan
 See All

Established in August 1926, the Kanamachi Purification Plant started collecting water from the Edo River and supplying it to the northern districts of Tokyo.

In 1941, the second intake tower was added to the plant, built with red bricks and topped with a triangular roof often described as a “witch hat.” Appearing in a few popular series set in the area, such as It’s Tough Being a Man (1969-1995) and Tokyo Beat Cops (1976-2016), the “witch hat intake tower” of Kanamachi has since become an unexpected icon of the neighborhood.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.
Book Now
hats witches rivers towers water
Community Contributors
Fred Cherrygarden
Added by
Fred Cherrygarden
Published
October 3, 2024
Edit this listing
Make an Edit Add Photos
Nearby
Yagiri no Watashi
0.43 miles
Shibamata Taishakuten's Sculpture Gallery
0.51 miles
‘Tora-san and His Sister’
0.64 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
The historic crossing of Yagiri.
Tokyo, Japan

Yagiri no Watashi

The only Edo-period ferry that is still in operation in Tokyo today.
Buddhist guardian deities.
Tokyo, Japan

Shibamata Taishakuten's Sculpture Gallery

A hidden gallery exhibits intricate, decades-old Buddhist reliefs.
Tokyo, Japan

‘Tora-san and His Sister’

Life-sized statues of two characters from a decades-long Japanese film series stand outside Shibamata station.
Nigao-e Coin Laundry
Tokyo, Japan

Nigao-e Coin Laundry

A small laundromat covered wall-to-ceiling with portrait drawings.
Related Places
Birkenhead, England

Birkenhead Priory

The oldest standing building on Merseyside is special for its rich history as a Benedictine monastery and its unique connection to the origins of the Mersey Ferry.
Helen, Washington

Hanford Reach National Monument

The only undammed section of the Columbia River in the United States has been preserved, ironically, by its proximity to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
North Bonneville, Washington

Bonneville Lock & Dam

Boats and fish both find their way through this massive hydroelectric structure.
Perth, Australia

Eliza Sculpture

A beloved statue of a diving woman in Perth’s Swan River is frequently dressed up in costumes for special occasions.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web