Xikou’s “Little Switzerland” is actually a scenic spot created by the “hydraulic genius” Yoichi Hatta. During the Japanese colonial period, while constructing the Chianan Irrigation Canal, concerns arose about insufficient water supply from the Wushantou Reservoir. As a solution, an approximately 4-kilometer-long water diversion tunnel was built through the mountains of Wushanling to channel water from the Zengwen River at Dongkou (East Entrance) to Xikou (West Entrance), where it would flow into the reservoir. Due to the elevation drop, the water rushes down through a circular opening, spinning rapidly and forcefully erupting from the “Rapid Canal Mouth,” creating a spectacular phenomenon known as the “Tenjō Whirlwind,” with water columns soaring several meters high. The area was once surrounded by beautiful forest scenery and earned the nickname “Little Switzerland” and “Vienna Woods.” However, with the development of the Wushantou Reservoir’s West Entrance Hydropower Plant, the vertical shaft (pit) will be raised by 5 meters, making the “Tenjō Whirlwind” less visible. Some of the surrounding forest has also been cut down due to the expansion of the water pool, changing the original landscape. Nevertheless, there are hopes to transform the area into a new destination that combines tourism with hydropower generation.

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