Japanese Government Releases Free Minecraft Map of Iconic Underground Tokyo

The Japanese government has unveiled a fascinating Minecraft map that allows players to explore the world’s largest underground flood prevention facility, the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, or G-Cans. This unique map, available for free download, offers an immersive experience of one of Tokyo's lesser-known but iconic locations right from your home.

G-Cans is a real-life disaster prevention marvel, renowned for its awe-inspiring "pressure adjustment water tank." This vast cavern, supported by 59 colossal pillars, resembles an epic boss battle arena and has earned the nickname "underground temple" (chika shinden) in Japan. With its haunting atmosphere, the facility has been a popular setting for music videos, TV dramas such as Kamen Rider, and films.

While tours of G-Cans are available during dry seasons, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has now brought this atmospheric facility into the digital realm of Minecraft. The ministry has also released a video on its official YouTube channel, providing a brief overview of G-Cans' purpose and showcasing its representation in Minecraft's blocky world.

The Minecraft G-Cans map extends beyond just the facility itself. It includes an overground area complete with rivers, homes, and neighborhoods, illustrating how G-Cans safeguards the community in real life. Players can also enter the control room and experiment with draining floodwater into the shafts, gaining a hands-on understanding of the facility's operations.

MLIT's recreation of G-Cans in Minecraft serves an educational purpose, enlightening players about the facility's role in disaster prevention. The map also conveys the sheer scale of G-Cans, which boasts over 6km of concrete tunnels beneath Saitama Prefecture in the Greater Tokyo Area. During Japan's rainy and typhoon seasons, G-Cans' five shafts collect water from flood-prone rivers and release it gradually into the larger Edogawa River and Tokyo Bay. Since its completion in 2006 after more than a decade of construction, G-Cans has significantly mitigated flooding in the region.

You can download the G-Cans Minecraft map for free from the official website of the Edogawa River Office, which oversees the facility. To enjoy this map, you'll need at least Version 1.21.1 of Minecraft Bedrock Edition or Version 1.21.0 of Minecraft Education Edition.