The was built in the
Edo period and extends for between the cities of
Inuyama and
Yatomi to protect against flooding. After a portion of this embankment was rebuilt following collapse due to record floods in May 1884, local volunteers brought in 1,800 saplings of
sakura trees at the request of the governor of Aichi Prefecture, replacing
Japanese red pine trees which had formerly lined the embankment. These cherry blossoms included many unusual varieties including some wild cherry tree species, and specifically excluded the
Somei Yoshino variety that had become extremely popular all over Japan. A seven-kilometer portion of this embankment between the cities of
Ichinomiya and
Kōnan has been designated as both a
National Place of Scenic Beauty and
Natural Monument since 1927. The number of cherry trees gradually decreased due to natural attrition to less than 400 by 2001, but the city of Ichinomiya undertook a large-scale replanting campaign to bring the embankment back to its former appearance. Other portions of the Kiso River in Inuyama, and
Kakamigahara,
Kani, and
Sakahogi in
Gifu Prefecture were designated collectively as a National Place of Scenic Beauty in 1934. == Bridges ==