Hagi Reverberatory Furnace, Industrial furnace site in Hagi, Japan
The Hagi Reverberatory Furnace is an old industrial structure with two stone chimneys rising from its sides. It was built with stone and brick to withstand very high temperatures needed for melting metals.
The furnace was built in 1856 by the Choshu domain to manufacture cannons as Japan modernized its military strength. The site shows the effort of local leaders to quickly learn and replicate Western weapons technology.
The furnace shows how European industrial methods arrived in Japan and were adapted by local metalworkers. People here learned to modify techniques using the materials and knowledge they had available.
The site is easy to reach on foot or with a short drive from the nearest train station and can be visited during daylight hours. There is no entrance fee and plenty of space to park if you arrive by car.
Excavations revealed that only one side of the furnace was actually used for melting metal. The other side may have been experimental or never fully put into operation.
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