Visit Record of Industrial Heritage Sites – Industrial Modernization of Meiji Japan in 19c
(Testing)
+++++++++++ ******** ++++++++++
Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Kyushu-Yamaguchi and Related Areas
UNESCO has registered the old industrial facilities in Kyushu and Yamaguch region to be a “World Industrial Heritage “ in July 2015. This is mean that Japanese challenges of economic and industrial modernization in the Meiji period has been recognized to have global value showing successful examples of industrial development. After the registration, a detailed description is posted on the Web site：(See) http://www.japansmeijiindustrialrevolution.com/en/
Visit Yawata Steel Works and the First Blast Furnace
– “Yawata Steel Works” (“Imperial Steel Works of Japan”) is designated as a World Historical Heritages and a Landmark of Japan’s Industrial Development revolution in Meiji period (around 1900) (Full text available Here)
♥ Tomioka Silk Mill as a World Industrial Heritage
The story of Tomioka Mill development must be a great symbol of Japanese Industrial challenge in the 19c Meiji Period. The visit recognize me how Japan could initiate industrialization in the early period. (Full test available Here)
♥ Visit Hagi Heritage Center and Japan’s first reverberatory furnace
A count of historic sites in Hagi city (Yamaguchi Pref.) were registered as the “World Heritage” by UNSCO . They are included a famous reverberatory furnace, old shipyard site, Shokason-Juku academy and others. his summer, I had an opportunity to travel this Hagi and visit these facilities. This is a short description memo on this visit. (Full test available Here)
♣ Charm of Kagoshima’s World Industrial Heritage
The Kagshima city, in the southern Kyushu, retains many historic and attractive heritages, particularly in the “Sengan-En”Park area and “Shoko Shuseikan.” These are all related to the Japan’s initial challenges of industry capacity building in the end of Edo period, such as the remains of 
experimental blast furnace, shipyard, spinning plants, and many others which initiated by the Satsuma’s Daimyo (Feudal lord) during 1850s. They are now registered as the “World Industrial Heritage”. (Full test available Here)
♠ Nagasaki Shipyard — Making Dawn of shipbuilding in Japan
It is widely known that the “Nagasaki Shipyard ” and its related facilities played the pivotal role in the development of shipbuilding industries in Japan, and designated as a “World Heritage.” I could visit these industrial sites in this summer, particularly Nagasaki Shipyard ”Archives” （史料館）sites. This is a small memory note of my visit. (Full test available Here)
While visiting the historic sites of the Miike Coal Mines, I’ve visited the Omuta Coal Industrial Museum. This museum used as one of the guiding facility for the visitors to the historical heritages of Miike coal mines in the northern Kyushu. The museum comprehensively exhibits the historic materials related to the advancement of coal industries, particularly associated with the Miike coal mines. It seemed that it reminds the social background and technology challenges of the coal industry around the Miie mining area.
Recently, I visited the Reverberatory Furnaces in Nirayama, Izu, Shizuoka area. This historic site is one of the Western style iron melting furnaces 
which were built for producing iron cannon in the end of the Edo period. The Nirayama’s furnace is particularly significant because it shows the real figure of operated iron making process at the time of construction. The “Guidance Center” was newly opened at the end of 2016 after designated as the World Heritage. Now many visitors come to the sites for appreciating Reverberatory Furnaces (NRF) as a tourism target. (Full test available Here)
It can be highlighted that a Edo-government official named Egawa’s contribution to the NRF Furnace and other intelligent works. His former residence “Egawa Tei”, which was built in the 15 century, is still remained as it is even after the 600 more than years. I visited this old house of Egawa clan just after visiting the Nirayama Iron Furnaces. This is a repot at this moment. (Full test available Here)
I visited the port city Shimoda on its way back from Nirayama to Tokyo. Shimoda is the first city formally opened for Western countries and only place 
permitted foreigners living live in Japan. So the Shimoda became the first community experienced the direct cross-cultural contact for the local Japanese. I could enjoy visiting the places on my tour to the South Ize after the visit NRF.
I took a short trip to Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, to review the Hashino Iron Mining heritage which was designated as a World Industrial Heritage. The purpose was examine the origin of iron making site where the first blast furnace was built in Japan at the end of the Edo period. because it is said the mines led the industrial modernization of Japan in Meiji period. Here’s the summary of my observation on the “Hashino” and a short comment on the historical movement of iron industry in the Kamaishi region.
I could visit the “Iron History Museum” in Kamaishi just after “Hashino Iron Mine”. This museum exhibits abundant materials regarding history of Kamaishi’s ironworks, along with useful information on the Hashino & Ohashi blast furnaces. The collection includes many materials relating to the iron-making methods from the old traditional way, the modern iron-works and others. It also collected an iron engineer Oshima Takato’s contribution for the development of iron technology.
Recently I visited the Nagasaki-Dejima to survey the Japan’s foreign relation with Europe in the Edo period and its impact to Japanese modernization. Japan had closed diplomatic relationship with the Western countries over 200 years since 1600s. However, essential world information and
advanced science knowledge were continuously brought in through a small island Nagasaki-Dejima. In recent years, the restoration project of Dejima was activated by the Nagasaki city government. Article is my observation on the previous function of Dejima and its restoration process.
The “Siebold Memorial Museum” is located on the hilly site of Nagasaki, near the Dejima. Siebold is known as a doctor and scientist who disseminated the valuable knowledge on Western medical and science to Japan in the Edo period.