Sites of Japan's Meiji IndustrialRevolution

Table of Contents1. Hagi (Yamaguchi Prefecture)2. Kagoshima (Kagoshima Prefecture)3. Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace (Shizuoka Prefecture)4. Kamaishi (Iwate Prefecture)5. Mietsu Naval Dock Ruins (Saga Prefecture)6. Nagasaki (Nagasaki Prefecture)7. Miike (Fukuoka and Kumamoto Prefectures)8. Misumi West Port (Kumamoto Prefecture)9. Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture)

Spread across eight prefectures, the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution (, Meiji Nihon no Sangy Kakumei Isan) highlight the country's rapiddevelopment into an industrial power in the second half of the 19th century. They aremainly related to iron and steel production, cannon forging, shipbuilding and coalmining. In July 2015, the sites received world heritage status.Towards the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867), Japan was desperate to modernize herarmed forces, manufacturing industry and other aspects of society in order to stave oencroachment by the imperialist Western powers and establish herself as a strong,independent nation. Through the import of Western technology, Japan was successful inclosing the gap with Europe and America to become the rst industrialized country inAsia over the period of just half a century.The world heritage sites number over twenty and are spread across various parts ofJapan. For better understanding, they can be grouped into nine clusters, six of whichare located on Kyushu and one each in Yamaguchi, Shizuoka and Iwate Prefectures.They are listed below in an order that illustrates their relevance from a chronologicalperspective:

1 Hagi (Yamaguchi Prefecture)The capital city of one of the two leading, rebelling clans behind the Meiji Restoration,Hagi was the site of early, local eorts to improve industrial technology. Standing inseparate locations outside of the city center are a reverberatory furnace, some dockremains and iron manufacturing ruins, which were constructed with the aim to buildWestern-style naval ships using traditional Japanese iron-making techniques. Alsoamong the sites are the Shokason Juku School where several of the pioneersinstrumental to Japan's modernization were schooled, and the city's former castletown.

2 Kagoshima (Kagoshima Prefecture)

The capital city of the other leading clan behind the Meiji Restoration, Kagoshimamade early eorts to strengthen the country's defenses through cannon casting andshipbuilding. The sites are all related to the Shuseikan industrial complex aroundSenganen Garden, including the ruined foundations of a furnace, a machine factory(now housing a museum) and a residence for foreign engineers. Additional sites on thehills above include a ruined charcoal kiln and the remains of a sluice gate whichprovided the factory with charcoal and hydropower.

3 Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace (ShizuokaPrefecture)The Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace on the Izu Peninsula was completed by theTokugawa government in 1857, marking a turning point towards modern ironproduction in Japan. The iron smelted on site was cast into cannons to be used incoastal defenses. Constructed of local Izu stones, the Nirayama Furnace is the mostcomplete reverberatory furnace of its time left, with its furnace bodies and fourchimneys still standing.

4 Kamaishi (Iwate Prefecture)Located farthest apart from the other sites, the Hashino Blast Furnace in Kamaishi inthe Tohoku Region was the rst Western-style blast furnace built in Japan. Only somefoundations and ruins are left of the three blast furnaces and of the water-poweredbellows. The site is located deep in the forested mountains between central Kamaishiand Tono, in an area were magnetite was originally found. The Iron and Steel Museumin central Kamaishi provides visitors with more information about Kamaishi's industrialheritage.

5 Mietsu Naval Dock Ruins (Saga Prefecture)The Mietsu Naval Dock in Saga Prefecture was established in 1858 as the country'srst dry dock for shipbuilding and repair. Japan's rst steamship was constructed here.The site was excavated in the past but covered up with soil again afterwards. As aresult, there is very little for visitors to see if it wasn't for virtual reality goggles, whichare available for free from the adjacent Sano Tsunetami Memorial Museum. Thegoggles allow visitors to see virtual recreations of the dock structures as they stoodhere one and a half centuries ago.

6 Nagasaki (Nagasaki Prefecture)The only port kept open to Western traders during Japan's era of seclusion, Nagasakiwas chosen as the site of the country's rst modern shipbuilding facilities and a navalacademy. The shipyards featured some of the most modern equipment of the time,some parts of which are still in operation today. Across the bay on top of a hill standsthe spacious home of Thomas Glover, a Scottish merchant who was instrumental inimporting Western shipbuilding technology and establishing the nearby slip gate dock.In addition, two islands o the coast, Takashima and Hashima (better known asGunkanjima) supported mines that produced the coal for use at the shipyards and the

steel works in Kitakyushu.

7 Miike (Fukuoka and Kumamoto Prefectures)Numerous coal mines were established along the Ariake Sea in southern Fukuoka andnorthern Kumamoto Prefecture, starting in the Meiji Period. The two best preserved ofthem, Manda and Miyanohara, have been designated as world heritage sites. TheManda mine, in particular, preserves not only the elevator structures but several othersurrounding brick buildings. Also designated were the nearby Miike Port and thenow-dysfunctional railway that connected the port with the various mines. The portremains in use today and was groundbreaking for allowing large ships to dockregardless of the sea's strong tides.

8 Misumi West Port (Kumamoto Prefecture)The Misumi West Port was commissioned by the Meiji Government in 1884 and grew tobe a major shipping terminal for coal from Miike and commodities like rice, wheat andour. However, it was only busy for about ten years before slowly falling into obscuritydue to a new railroad that connected only the nearby Misumi East Port. Today, the WestPort area preserves not only the beautiful stone quay, but also several restoredhistorical buildings that can be entered and house pleasant cafes.

9 Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture)The state-owned Imperial Steel Works in Yawata, Kitakyushu, were built towards theend of the Meiji Period and played a major role in the development of the modern steelindustry in Japan. The complex still operates under a private owner today, and itshistoric buildings, including the former head oice, forge and repair shop sit preservedwithin the factory grounds. Visitors are not allowed to approach, enter or photographthe buildings but only view them from a distant platform. More satisfying can be a visitto the nearby, preserved Higashida Daiichi blast furnaces (see photo), although theyare not on the list of world heritage sites.