Shūseikan

Shoko Shuseikan Museum occupies a stone factory building from 1865 and displays artifacts and records spanning 800 years of the Shimadzu family history. The facility combines early industrial machinery with documented samurai traditions and related historical materials.

The Shuseikan complex emerged during the Meiji period as one of Japan's earliest modern factories, marking the nation's transition from feudalism to industrialization. The stone structures and preserved machinery show the practical steps of this rapid transformation.

The museum displays the connection between the Shimadzu clan and southern Kyushu through objects related to samurai traditions, education, and local governance. Visitors can see how this family shaped the region's cultural life.

The visit allows you to walk through factory buildings and museum rooms that are mostly accessible on foot. Plan time for both areas and be aware that some rooms may have narrow staircases.

The oldest stone factory building in Japan stands here, showing how workers and engineers first experimented with modern production methods. Few visitors know that this site was closely tied to the Shimadzu family's training system.

Location: Kagoshima

Founders: Shimazu Nariakira

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

GPS coordinates: 31.61780,130.57810

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:46