Review of Industrial Heritage Sites xx

– Industrial Modernization of Meiji Japan in 19c

(Testing)

Web Meiji Industrial heritage xy

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–
“Yahata- Furnas x01.JPGYawata 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) 
♥  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.
♥  Visit Hagi Heritage Center and Japan’s first reverberatory furnaceHagi logo
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.  This is a short description on this visit.
 ♣  Charm of Kagoshima’s World Industrial HeritageKagoshima- Illust x02
Many historic industrial heritages is situated in Kagoshima, particularly in the “Sengan-En”Park area, such as the remains of experimental blast furnace, shipyard, spinning plants in Edo period. This is a short report on them.
♠　Nagasaki Shipyard — Shows Dawn of  shipbuilding  in Japan.
Nagasaki Zosen- Kibaba 01.JPGThe “Nagasaki Shipyard ” and its related facilities played the pivotal role in the development of shipbuilding industries in Japan.   I visited these industrial sites in this summer. This is a small memory note of my visit.
♠　Visit the former Coal Mines of Mitsui Miike    
                           “Miike” mine was designated as “World Industrial Heritage” , because of a great  contribution of industrialization in the early time of Japan. I could visit it by chance, including  “Miyanohara” coal pit, “Miike port”, and ruins of railroad for it. This is a small record at that time.
♠　Visit the Miike Coal Mines site (2) “Coal Museum”
Near the Miike Coal Mines sites , I had a chance to visit the Omuta Coal Industrial Museum.   It has exhibited the historic equipment and goods related to the technology development of coal industries in Japan, particularly in the northern Kyushu area. This is a small report on the Museum.
♠　Visit Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace
Recently, I visited the historic Reverberatory Furnaces in Nirayama, Izu, Shizuoka area. This is a memorial remains of the Western style iron furnaces producing “Iron Cannon”  for the first time in Japan to counter the Western invasion in the Edo period.  This iron furnaces were believed to become a roots of Japan’s modern iron making industry.
♠　Visit the “Egawa Tei Residence” in Nirayama, Izu
Edo-government official  Egawa who was a hero to initiate  the NRF Furnace and other intelligent projects in the Edo period. His residence “Egawa Tei”, which was built in the 15 century, was still remained as it is even after more than 600 years.  This is a report of my visit this old residence and facilities.
♠　Visit the “Kurofune” and the “Kaikoku” Museum in Shimoda, Izu
Himoda-Perryx01.JPGShimoda 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.
♠　Visit Kamaishi and its old Iron Making Heritage
I took a short trip to Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture to review the Hashino Iron Mining 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.  The mines led the industrial modernization of Japan in Meiji period. Here’s the summary of  the “Hashino” and iron industry in the Kamaishi region.
♠　Visit Kamaishi’s “Museum of Iron History”
   I lso visited the “Iron History Museum” in Kamaishi. This museum  exhibits abundant materials regarding history of Kamaishi’s ironworks, along with useful information on the Hashino & Ohashi blast furnaces.  It collected an iron engineer Oshima Takato’s contribution for the development of iron technology.
♠　Memories of Visit Nagasaki “Dejima”
Recently I went to Nagasaki-Dejima to survey  the Japan’s foreign relation with Europe in the Edo period and its impact to Japanese modernization.  It is famous the this small island was function as a window to the Western world even under the closed policy of Edo government.  In recent years,  the restoration project of Dejima is undergoing. This is a report on this issue.
♠　Visit “Siebold Memorial Museum” in Nagasaki
 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.   It’s really nice place to visit for touching his footprints and contribution to the Japanese society.
♠　Visit Yokosuka Ironwork and Shipbuilding sites
Last year, I took a tour to the former ‘Yokosuka Ironworks site in Yokohama. And visited  small museum named  “Verny Memorial Museum” there.  The museum has exhibited many machinery and equipment which were used in the former Yokosuka ironworks. It looks showing the footage of Technology Challenge in the 19 century of Japan. This is a visit record at this time.