Hashino iron mining and smelting site

The Hashino iron mining and smelting site contains three blast furnaces constructed for iron production using local magnetite deposits in Iwate Prefecture.

Engineer Ōshima Takatō established this industrial complex in 1858, introducing Western-style blast furnace technology based on Dutch engineering texts during the late Edo period.

The site demonstrates the integration of Western metallurgical knowledge with Japanese iron-making traditions, leading to innovations in national manufacturing methods.

Located at coordinates 39°19′58″N 141°40′47″E, the complex spans 39 hectares with additional buffer zones and received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2015.

These structures represent the oldest surviving Western-style blast furnaces in Japan, contributing to the development of the Imperial Steel Works at Yawata in 1901.

Location: Kamaishi

Inception: 1858

Founders: Ōshima Takatō

Part of: Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining

Website: https://city.kamaishi.iwate.jp/docs/2020030600160

GPS coordinates: 39.34386,141.68242

Latest update: May 12, 2025 15:06