Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces, Industrial heritage site in Izunokuni, Japan.
Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces form a group of fire brick smelting chambers in Izunokuni, standing on flat ground near wooded hills. Four tall chimneys rise in a row, each surrounded by a steel frame that shields the old structures from wind and weather.
The Tokugawa clan commissioned the furnaces in the mid-19th century, when the country sought to strengthen its coastal defenses. The facility produced iron for cannons and marked the beginning of modern metalworking on Japanese soil.
The furnaces represent Japan's transformation from traditional methods to industrial processes, reflecting the nation's response to Western technological advancement.
The site lies about a half hour on foot from Izu-Nagaoka Station, and a small visitor center explains the furnace technology. Wide paths lead around the chimneys, allowing views from different angles.
The furnaces are among the last surviving examples of their kind worldwide and still show the original construction with thick brick walls and vaulted combustion chambers. Steel frames have supported the chimneys for decades without altering the historic silhouette.
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