Tokyo Unveils Free Minecraft Metro Map

The Japanese government has launched a Minecraft recreation of the world's largest underground floodwater diversion system. This free downloadable map allows players to virtually explore one of Tokyo's most remarkable - yet often overlooked - engineering marvels from home.

Officially called the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel but commonly known as "G-Cans", this real-world infrastructure project features its most famous component - the massive "Underground Temple" (chika shinden) pressure adjustment chamber with its 59 towering concrete pillars. This awe-inspiring space has become a cultural icon, appearing in numerous music videos, TV dramas (including Kamen Rider), and films.

While physical tours are available during dry seasons, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has now created a Minecraft version. Their official YouTube channel features an overview video explaining G-Cans' purpose and showcasing its blocky virtual counterpart.

The free map extends beyond just recreating the underground complex - it includes surrounding neighborhoods, rivers, and residential areas to demonstrate how G-Cans protects communities. Players can even enter the control room and simulate floodwater drainage operations.

This educational Minecraft project aims to increase awareness about flood prevention infrastructure. The virtual experience conveys the immense scale of G-Cans, which stretches over 6km beneath Saitama Prefecture in Greater Tokyo. Operational since 2006 after more than ten years of construction, its network of tunnels and five massive vertical shafts redirects floodwaters from vulnerable rivers during Japan's rainy seasons (June and typhoon season typically around September), channeling them safely into the Edogawa River and Tokyo Bay.

The G-Cans Minecraft map is available for free download from the Edogawa River Office website. It requires Minecraft Bedrock Edition version 1.21.1 or later, or Minecraft Education Edition version 1.21.0 or newer.