About
In a tranquil corner of Gonokami, Hamura City, stands the “Maimai-zu Well,” transcending the flow of time. Its name is derived from the spiral shape of a snail, as the path leading to the well coils underground like a whirlpool. This well consists of a funnel-shaped depression with a diameter of about 16 meters and a depth of about 4.3 meters at the bottom, where a dug well with a diameter of about 1.2 meters and a depth of about 5.9 meters is installed. The spiral passageway from the surface to the well makes about two turns before reaching the bottom. (tesshow.jp)
This site is located on a corner of the Musashino Plateau, where the groundwater veins are deep and gravel layers spread out, making it difficult to dig a vertical well. Therefore, the surface was excavated into a funnel shape, and a spiral passage was constructed to reduce the labor required to draw water. This unique shape, which resembles a snail shell, is the reason it was named “Maimai-zu Well.” (tokyo-np.co.jp)
There is a legend that the well was constructed during the Daidō era (806–810), but no reliable records remain. However, during well cleaning in the Edo period, stone monuments from the Kamakura to Muromachi periods were unearthed, suggesting that it already existed in the Middle Ages. This well was an important water source supporting the lives of local people until the establishment of the town waterworks in 1960 (Showa 35). (tokyo-np.co.jp)
Around the well stands Gonokami Shrine, which has long been cherished as the center of local faith. Gonokami Shrine is said to have been founded in the 9th year of Empress Suiko’s reign (601), and during the Hōki era (770–780), the Kumano Gosha Daigongen was enshrined, so it was once called Kumano Shrine. Over the years, this shrine and well have continued to watch over the region’s history and culture. (west-tokyo-history.fc2.net)
Today, the Maimai-zu Well is designated as a historic site of Tokyo, and due to its unique structure and historical value, it has become a place visited by many people. Looking up from the bottom of the well, the spiral passageway leads toward the sky, evoking the flow of time connecting past and present. By visiting this place, one can reflect on the wisdom and efforts of those who came before, as well as their attitude of living in harmony with nature.