～ Prisoners are helping with the Los Angeles wildfires
Kyoto’s fire prevention system that makes use of nature
The Honganji waterworks and Kyoto Imperial Palace waterworks systems～
Yoshie Doi

A postcard of a water discharge I received about 15 years ago.

Remains of the water discharge outlet disaster prevention equipment on the temple grounds.

Photographed on January 20, 2025: Water discharge disaster prevention equipment
: Clay pipe of Honganji Waterworks at Gojo Ohashi Bridge

　The wildfires in Los Angeles have not been put out due to a lack of firefighters to fight the fires, as many covid19 unvaccinated firefighters have been fired. It is predicted that the conditions will be favorable for fires to break out again on January 19th (US time), so evacuees have been instructed to continue evacuating for another week. Work is also underway to remove toxic waste and cut off electricity and gas pipes.

　More than 1,000 inmates have been battling the blaze, with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) saying in a statement to NPR on Tuesday morning that “1,015 firefighters at Fire Camp have been working around the clock to create firebreaks to slow the spread of the blaze.”

　California has a prison firefighting program that puts inmates on the front lines of wildfires.　In the Los Angeles wildfires, 1,116 inmates are building fire lines by hand and working in dangerous conditions. Inmate firefighters are paid $5.80 to $10.24 a day depending on their skill level, and the wage is set to double from previous levels by 2023. In addition, they are allowed to reduce their sentence by two days for every day they work, which will help them reintegrate into society.

　As far as I know, in the history of Kyoto, I have never heard of prisoners putting out fires as part of their community service. There were routes for them to be paraded around the city, but there is a history of ordinary citizens volunteering to cook meals for the residents, which was preserved even during the Onin War, and I would like to explore this further.

　Kyoto had a unique fire prevention system, but unfortunately it is no longer operational. During the Edo period, the Gosho Goyosui waterworks, used for fire prevention at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, drew water from the Kamo River, and Higashi Honganji Temple drew its waterworks from Keage. Unfortunately, neither of these are in use today, but the clay pipes still remain. The Gosho Goyosui waterworks was filled with soft, flowing concrete, and well water is currently used. Famous spring water once gushed forth from the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

　The Honganji waterworks is subject to severe filtering, and water supply was stopped in 2008. The clay pipes and fire hydrant outlets remain, so if you visit Higashi Honganji, you can see them for yourself. If you look up from under the Gojo Ohashi Bridge, you can see the clay pipes of the Honganji waterworks. I have introduced them to students many times in courses at Kyo Suzume School and NHK Culture Center.

　Higashi Honganji Temple was built in 1602 (Keicho 7), but was destroyed by four major fires. In the Meiji era, Higashi Honganji Temple was rebuilt, and the Honganji Waterworks was constructed between 1894 and 1897. It is a fire prevention system that does not rely on power, but instead utilizes natural elevation differences to provide water. The system makes use of elevation differences because it was built in anticipation of the possibility that fire hydrants would be unable to be used due to water or power outages, as fire engines and fire brigades would be delayed in their arrival during firefighting efforts in the event of an earthquake fire due to collapsed houses or blocked roads.

　We sincerely pray that the wildfires in Los Angeles will be put out quickly and that the rain will help to put an end to the fires, and we would like to introduce you to Kyoto’s fire prevention system, which has been effective in the past.

The end of document
Translated by Masami Otani

Tweet

Pocket