
KOBE -- Electricity is being generated by microhydropower in Nada Ward, Kobe, using the rapid current from a river flowing down the Rokko mountain range. Power generated by waterwheels set in rivers was once used to polish rice, contributing to the development of the sake industry in the area. Generating electricity via microhydropower in an urban area is said to be rare, and a modern version of the waterwheel is garnering attention.