Overview:

The Meiji Industrial Revolution Sites in Japan are a series of sites scattered throughout the country associated with the rapid modernization of Japan during the Meiji period (1868–1912). These sites include industrial complexes, coal mines, iron smelting works, engineering works, shipyards, irrigation systems, telegraph lines, and irrigated rice fields, as well as the homes, schools and hospitals that were also part of the modernizing of Japan. The sites offer insight into the industrialization and social changes brought about by the Meiji period. They also provide evidence of the great technological feats of the period, as well as the lasting effects of modernization experienced in the country today. The sites are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognizing their importance in demonstrating the process of industrialization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Japan
Prominent Features:

1. The Nippon Aircraft Company Factory (Meiji-mura Musée) in Inuyama, Japan: This factory was built in 1870 and was the first manufacturer of aircraft components and engines in Japan. 2. The Arima Copper Smelter in Higashi-Kurume City, Japan: This copper smelter was founded in 1868 and was Japan’s first industrial smelter. 3. The Nippon Rope Company in Tokyo, Japan: This is the oldest existing company in Japan, founded in 1872 to produce hemp rope. 4. Japan’s first iron making plant: This iron making plant was established in 1874 in Otaru City, Hokkaido Prefecture. 5. The Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engine Works in Nagasaki, Japan: This shipbuilding & engine works was established in 1877 and has been at the forefront of Japan’s shipbuilding industry ever since. 6. The Kamaishi Ironworks in Iwate Prefecture: This ironworks was built in 1878 and produced Japan’s first domestically manufactured iron cannons. 7. The Kamaishi Copperworks in Iwate Prefecture: This copperworks was founded in 1881 and is Japan’s oldest modern copper making facility. 8. The Kawasaki Shipyard in Kobe: Established in 1886, this shipyard was Japan’s first modern large-scale shipyard. 9. The Murata Cotton Spinning Mill in Tokyo: This was Japan’s first ring spinning mill and was established in 1886. 10. The Shibusawa Ironworks in Tokyo: This was Japan’s first factory for making boiler plates and was established in 1888. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Japan.

History:

The Meiji Industrial Revolution Sites in Japan are a part of the Meiji era (1868-1912) that changed the country's participation in world economics. In this period, Japan underwent drastic structural changes that saw the end of feudalism and the emergence of a market-oriented economy. This period, commonly known as the Meiji Restoration, drove the development and industrialization of the country. The UNESCO-listed "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining" comprise of 12 sites of the Meiji era. These sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015. The 12 sites mostly feature Meiji-era industrialization facilities and represent Japan’s industrialization process. These sites include Tomioka Silk Mill, which is a historic silk-reeling factory; Yokohama Port, which is a major port in Japan; Benicia-Yokohama Railway, which was the first long-distance railway in Japan; and Miike Coal Mine, which was an early coal mine in the region. Other sites include the Fujishima Hydroelectric Power Station, the Kamaishi Iron and Steel Plant, the Ryōsenji Tetsu-ko Mine, the Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard and Engine Works, Hashima Island and others. These sites represent Japan’s advancement from a closed nation to a global power in a few short decades. In order to protect these sites and their importance to the people and history of Japan, the Japanese government has set up the Council for the Promotion of Action for Meiji Industrial Revolution Sites. Their aim is to conserve, promote and popularize the Meiji Industrial Revolution Sites. The council is also in charge of generating funds and creating programs for the preservation of these sites. The Meiji Industrial Revolution Sites, and the restoration efforts set in place, are an important part of understanding Japan’s history and the profound impact of the Meiji era. Visit one of the famous monuments of Japan with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Meiji Industrial Revolution sites, located in various prefectures throughout Japan, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 2015. 2. Iron manufacturing using European style blast furnaces began in Japan in 1876. 3. The Meiji Industrial Revolution had a major impact on the modernization of Japan and became the foundation of modern Japan. 4. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 marked the end of feudal era in Japan and the beginning of the industrial revolution. 5. The industrial revolution was fueled by the economic and political changes brought about by the Meiji Restoration. 6. The first modern factories in Japan were built in Kobe and Osaka in the late 19th century. 7. A series of edicts and regulations were issued in the early 20th century to control economic and industrial development in Japan. 8. Between 1868 and 1912, more than 600 factories were set up in Japan and the production of steel increased by more than 15 times. 9. Japanese industry focused on the production of cotton and silk textiles and moved towards the production of machinery and chemicals in the mid 20th century. 10. Many of the industrial sites from the Meiji Industrial Revolution are still in use today and several of them are open to the public for tours. One of the historical monuments of Japan, it tells the story of a bygone era