Kyoto shopping street flooded after water main burst

A water main burst at the Fushimi Otesuji Shopping Street in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, on the afternoon of September 13, 2026. The rupture caused water to overflow onto the streets and caused parts of the road surface to heave and crack.

According to the Kyoto City Waterworks Bureau, the damaged pipe appears to be made of cast iron and was likely installed around 1978. Officials are investigating whether aging infrastructure caused the failure. Workers are scheduled to excavate the site to assess the extent of the damage and identify the specific pipe involved.

The leak caused water to flow dozens of meters west through the shopping district, leaving sediment on some road surfaces. Local business owners reported significant disruption to their operations, with some expressing distress over the impact on customer access. Police have implemented traffic restrictions in the area.