Hashino iron mining and smelting site

The Hashino iron mining and smelting site is an industrial complex in Kamaishi featuring three blast furnaces built to process local magnetite ore. The grounds contain multiple production areas and infrastructure from the period of operation.

Engineer Ōshima Takatō founded this industrial complex in 1858, introducing Western-style blast furnace technology based on Dutch engineering knowledge. This facility became a turning point for Japanese iron production during the late Edo period.

The site reflects how local iron-making practices merged with Western metallurgical techniques to reshape Japanese industrial methods. Visitors can observe the physical spaces where these two traditions came together.

The site sits in a rural area near Kamaishi and is best visited by walking or using local transport to reach it. Wear proper footwear since the grounds are uneven and many structures are displayed outdoors without full shelter.

The blast furnaces here are the oldest surviving structures of their type in the country, showing the early adoption of Western industry. Their preservation offers rare glimpses into how modern Japanese metallurgy began.

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: December 7, 2025 20:41