九州日立マクセル赤煉瓦記念館, Museu no Japão
The Kyushu Hitachi Maxell Red Brick Memorial Hall is an industrial heritage museum housed in a former coal mine structure built in 1904 with distinctive red brick walls. The two-story European-style building displays company products on the ground floor, while the second floor features a café where visitors can rest amid original brick walls and riveted steel beams.
The building was constructed in 1904 as part of the Hojo coal mine, which began operations in 1902 with Mitsubishi support. After the mine closed in 1962, the structure was incorporated into the Maxell factory site and later protected as a cultural property.
The building's name reflects the coal mine and company that shaped local industry for generations. Red brick walls covered in climbing vines that shift through the seasons create a visual bridge between industrial heritage and the natural world.
The site is accessible by train via Kinda Station, about 22 minutes on foot, or by car using nearby highways with parking available nearby. The surrounding rural setting is quietest in spring and summer when climbing vines covering the walls are most visible.
The building's steel beams are connected using riveting, the same technique used in constructing the famous battleship Yamato. It survived a major mining disaster in 1914 and the 2005 earthquake without structural damage, demonstrating exceptional durability.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
