Giant Samurai Appear on a Dam in Ashikaga

“Bring Back the Samurai Powered by Kärcher” is a large-scale dam art project at Matsudagawa Dam in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture that marks the dam’s 30th anniversary. Organized by the Japanese arm of the German cleaning equipment giant, the project involved roughly three weeks of painstaking pressure-washing, with the completed artwork revealed on April 10, 2026.

Matsudagawa Dam is a multipurpose dam built as part of the comprehensive development of the Matsuda River, which winds through Ashikaga City. Constructed to control flooding, protect the river environment, and supply drinking water to the city, it was completed in 1996. Three decades on, it remains a quiet but essential guardian of the region—a role that, as it turns out, made it the perfect canvas for this project.

Painting “Samurai” on Concrete

The concept behind the unusual art project is as bold as its execution: “bring samurai from across time into the present,” rendered not with paint, but with clean water.

The technique used is called “reverse graffiti.” Rather than adding pigment to a surface, grime that has accumulated over the years is selectively removed using high-pressure washing, revealing an image in the contrasting tones of clean and weathered concrete. The result is art made entirely of absence.

The design was created by German artist Klaus Dauven, who has a particular connection to this site: back in 2008, he created Japan’s first-ever dam artwork, also at Matsudagawa Dam. This project marks his return some 18 years later.

Warriors from 750 Years Ago

The inspiration came from Setsubun Yoroi Toshikoshi, a traditional armor-wearing ceremony observed in Ashikaga for centuries. Drawing on imagery from records dating back approximately 750 years, Dauven depicted samurai as protectors of the people—a deliberate parallel to the dam itself, which has shielded the region from floods and water shortages for three decades.

The production process was anything but simple. Starting with a detailed sketch on the dam wall, the team worked through multiple stages—surveying, planning, and washing, using approximately 2,055 survey points to capture the fine details of each figure’s face. Because pressure-washed concrete cannot be restored to its original state, every decision was permanent and irreversible.

The finished work reveals four samurai emerging from the massive dam wall. Their expressions are still and contemplative—as if gazing beyond the present moment—lending the piece an unexpected emotional weight for something made of water and concrete. Reflecting on his work, Klaus Dauven said: “It is a great joy to be able to bring memories from the distant past back to life and express universal emotions.”

A View That Will Vanish

What makes this worth seeing now is that it won’t last. Over time, as grime gradually reclaims the surface of the dam face, the samurai will slowly fade and disappear—in roughly two years, they’ll be gone entirely.

It’s a fitting end for warriors summoned from the depths of history. For now, though, they stand watch over Ashikaga, visible through the changing seasons, free to visit, and unlike anything else in Japan.

DATA
Location: Matsudagawa Dam, Matsuda-cho, Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture
On View: April 10, 2026– (on view for approximately 2 years)
Admission: Free
Access: Approx. 30 min by car from Ashikaga Station on the JR Ryomo Line
Project Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO1zAHN9DhA