Onga River Pumping Station

The Onga River Pumping Station is a brick facility in Nakama that extracts water from the river for industrial use. The water travels through a pipeline to cooling operations at the Yawata Steel Works, located roughly 11 kilometers away.

The station was built in 1910 under the supervision of Professor Nakajima Eiji during Japan's rapid industrialization. It represents a turning point in the country's water management and engineering capabilities of that era.

The building combines Japanese and Western architectural styles typical of the Meiji era. This blend reflects how the country embraced foreign engineering methods while maintaining local design sensibilities.

The site is easily accessible and located near the center of Nakama. Visitors can view the exterior structure and appreciate the early 20th-century engineering design from the surrounding area.

The facility still contains original machinery from British and American manufacturers Babcock & Wilcox and Davey. These machines reveal how early Japanese industry relied on imported equipment to power its rapid development.

Location: Nakama

Inception: 1910

Made from material: brick

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

GPS coordinates: 33.81113,130.70684

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:05