The Indian Drinking Fountain (インド水塔)
On the northwestern edge of Yamashita Park in Yokohama, the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, stands the Indian Drinking Fountain (インド水塔). It was donated to the City of Yokohama by the Indian community as a gesture of gratitude for the city's proactive relief efforts for foreign merchants, including Indian traders, following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, and also to commemorate the Indian victims of the disaster. The unveiling ceremony was held on December 18, 1939. Its architecture is said to resemble a hauz (fountain pavilion) found in the courtyards of mosques. The dome ceiling is adorned with numerous colorful mosaic tiles. Since around 1985, a memorial ceremony has been held every year on September 1 to mourn the Indian victims of the earthquake. It is designated as one of Yokohama's officially recognized historic buildings.
