First Head office of the Steel Works

 

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The the building for the Head office of the Imperial Steel Works was constructed in 1899,

two years before commencement of Japan’s Steel Industry.

The design of the building is a harmony of European and Japanese architectural styles.

The construction of the structure below the roof is a European style and uses red bricks

for the outside walls.

 

Aiming to symbolize a Good future for Japan, the roof was designed with a traditional

Japanese triangular shape and Japanese tiles were used to complete the roof. 

The building was initially used as a Head office until 1922, however with the expansion

of production facilities, the Head Office was moved to another place due to lack of space.

After that, the building was used for various purposes such as a Research and Developing

Center for Steel Products.

 

World leading rail produced in the Steel Works

First Head Office registered on the World Heritage

Observation deck of the World Heritage

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Tanga Market

 

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Typical Japanese market, known as “the kitchen” in Kitakyushu-city.  There are more than

120 shops in the 180 metre-long arcade. Here you get a true taste of the culture and sample

the real life style  of the people living in Kitakyushu. You can find fresh, inexpensive fish,

vegetables and meats, as well as local specialties such as karashi mentaiko  ( fish roe seasoned

with tasty spices and sauce) and nukamiso daki (boiled fish with paste made from rice bran 

and soy beans).

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 General information  

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Kaikyo Plaza

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Mojiko Retro Observatory

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Situated on the 31st floor of the high-rise apartment building “Retro Hi-Mart”. The 103m high

observatory offers magnificent views of the Mojiko Retro district, the Kanmon-kyo Bridge over

the  Kanmon Strait, as well as the Shimonoseki area.  It can be used until 10 pm and from

around 8pm, Mojiko Retro district is lights up with beautiful illuminations, creating a very

romantic ambience, making it a very popular dating spot.

 

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Higashida No.1 Blast Furnace

 

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Mitsui Club

 

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Dr. Albert Einstein who awarded Nobel Prize in Physics stayed here. It was built by the

Mitsui Co., Ltd in 1921 as a reception centre and to provide accommodation for VIP’s. 

It is now designated as an important cultural property.

 

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Albert Einstein (1879-1955), one of the world’s most famous theoretical physicists, stayed here

during his visit to Japan with his wife in 1922, and his room is displayed exactly as it was at that time.

 

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Hiraodai Karst Plateau & Caves

 

Yougunbaru, which was so names because of the limestone which stands in row like a flock

of sheep in a vast meadow, dolines (conical hollows) and limestone caves create distinctive

scenery. The Plateau offers a different views in each of the four seasons, resembling a burnt

 field in the spring, appearing fresh and green in the early summer, and similar to a dry plain

in the fall. 

 

 

Hiraodai Countryside Park

There is 22ha of lawn square with observation platform, and a wild grass garden.

There is also a plateau fruit tree garden. Moreover, the visitor can enjoy the experience

of doing activities such as making buckwheat noodle (soba), ceramics, art flower, and

woodwork.​

 

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Limestone Caves

 

There are three limestone Caves in Hiraodai Karst and each cave has different unique features. 

 

Senbutsu limestone Cave

The largest limestone caves in Hiraodai Karst Plateau

extending about 900 m while meandering toward the northeast. The shape of the cave is narrow,

narrow ceiling ravine with a maximum width of 10 m and a maximum ceiling height of 15 m.

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Mejiro limestone Cave

It is the longest cave in Hiraodai Karst, over 2 km in length. The highlight of this cave is the

monolithic ceiling which is a very unique structure as a limestone caves.

 

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Ojika Limestone Cave

The cave is called footfall of dinosaurs.  It is the very rare cave in Japan; the entrance is vertical

pit with 25 meter, when getting down to the bottom, you follow the underground horizontal cave

and you can see the hidden aspects of Hiraodai Karst.

 

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Hirotani Wetland

It is the only wetland in Fukuoka Prefecture, located 600 meters west from Seiryu Cave and

2,500 m east from Hiraodai Nature Observation Center. The wetland is an important part of 

Hiraodai Karst landform, offering a variety of wetland plant life such as the Sagiso (rein orchis),

Tokiso (pogonia), and Nohanasyobu (iris).

 

 

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Genaral information  

 

 

Hiraodai Countryside Park

 

 

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The most distinguished Japanese Karstic Hiraodai Park.  There is 22ha of lawn square with

observation platform, and a wild grass garden. There is also a plateau fruit tree garden. 

Moreover, the visitor can enjoy the experience of doing activities such as making buckwheat

noodle (soba), ceramics, art flower, and woodwork.​

 

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General information  

Address	1-1-1 Hiraodai, Kokura-minakiku, Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka-prefecture
Access	45 minutes by a vehicle from JR Kokura Station 80 minutes by a vehicle from Fukuoka-city 80 minutes by a vehicle from Usa 100 minutes by a vehicle from Beppu 100 minutes by a vehicle from Yufuin
Open hours	9:00 to 17:00  March to November 10:00 to 16:00  December to February
Admission fee	No fee is required
Days closed	Tuesday

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Japanese Cultural experiences in Kitakyushu

 

Time to enjoy dressing in kimono tea ceremony experience, and Rickshaw riding experience 

at Kokura Castle Garden and Kokura Castle.

You can also take beautiful photographs in this location to provide you with wonderful

memories and recollection of your visit to Kokura Castle.

 

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Tea ceremony

The Tea ceremony follow a traditional ceremony of serving tea to guests.
The original form of tea ceremony was introduced to Japan from China by Buddhist monks,

and perfected by Master Sen-no-Rikyu based on the spirit of Zen in the 16th century.

 

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Experience riding in the Rickshaw  

invented in Japan in the beginning of the 20th century.

 

 

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History of Industrial modernization

                                                                                                                               HOME  

 

Japanese industry at the end of 19th century was 200years behind.  After Mathew C Perry

came to Japan in 1853, Japan’s industrial Revolution was started.

Since Japan’s modern Steel Industry operation commenced in 1901 in Kitakyushu,

Japan became the world’s leading industrialized country in only 100 years.

 

There is the KAIZEN strategy in the background to Japan becoming an industrialized country at a

rapid speed. The literary meaning of KAIZEN is improvement, refer to activities that continuously

improve all the functions applies to manufacturing process, purchasing and logistics, involve all the

employees form top management to site workers.  KAIZEN is applied for many companies in Japan

and is greatly contributed to Japan’s Industry.

 

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・1641   Dejima, a small artificial island was opened as Dutch trading port in Nagasaki 

               Nagasaki is the only place opened to oversea countries during the National isolation period

               from 1639 to 1854.

       

・1853  Mathew C Perry came to Uraga;

             the Commodore of the US navy, who played a significant role in Japanese history, 

             succeeded in opening Japan to foreign countries Japanese industry was 200years

             behind European countries at that time

 

・1853　Japanese’s industrial revolution started in Saga, Kagoshima and any other places

 

・1867  The sovereignty of Tokugawa Shogunate was returned to imperial court

 

・1868  Meiji Restoration

             the most important event in Japanese history, which heralded a new era of modernization

             in Japan.     This revolution restored the imperial rule to Japan after more than 250years of

            Tokugawa Shogunate, bringing about a major shift in political and cultural structure.

            National Slogan was Fukoku-kyohei, means “Enrich the country and strengthen the military”

            to promote industries and strengthen Japan against Western power.

 

・1897 The Meiji Government made the decision to build the Imperial Steel Work in the small village

　         in Higashida, Yahata, next to the Dokai Bay and close to the coal-rich Chikuho area

 

・1899   First Head Office of the Imperial Steel Works registered on the World Heritage was built

 

・1900   The Former Forge Shop and the Repair Shop of the Imperial Steel Works registered

               on the World Heritage were built

 

・1901   Operation of the Imperial Steel Work, in Yahata  was commenced

               In the beginning of the Blast Furnace was not successful, and then Japanese engineer

               Kageyoshi Noro modified the design and successful operation followed in 1904

 

・1915   Yaskawa Electric establish in Kitakyushu

 

・1917   TOTO establish in Kitakyushu

 

・1945   The Atomic bombs were dropped in Hiroshima on August 6 and in Nagasaki on August 9

 

・1960’s Experience the industrial pollution problems

 

・1962   Higashida No.1 Blast Furnace 10^th was blown in

 

・1963   Kitakyushu-city was born, five municipal cities ( Moji, Kokura, Yahata, Wakamatsu and

              Tobata) were equally merged; that was a very rare case in the world as each the cities

              had such different personality   

         

・1972   Higashida No.1 Blast Furnace 10^th was blown off late 1980s’ the structural flaw in

              Japanese economy came to the surface and culming in collapse of bubble economy

 

・1990   Kitakyushu-city received the “Global 500 Award” given by the UN Environment Program

              (UNEP) to individuals and organizations that combat environmental issues, and it was

              first local government to win the award in Japan.

 

・2001   Kitakyushu Eco-Town Center opened first in Japan

 

・2008   Kitakyushu-city was designated as the Environmental Model City

 

・2011   Kitakyushu-city was designated as the Environmental Future City

 

・2015   Site of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution is registered on the list of World Cultural Heritage

 

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Related sites to the Study tour

Study tour in Kitakyushu     Study tour in Nagasaki      History of Industrial modernization 

History of Japanese Christianity      Environmental Future city Kitakyushu

 

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