(Recent Museum Visit) 
The full report is available by clicking the following Title
Letter.
Visit Toyota Industrial Technology Museum- (2)Automobile Pavilion
Showing Toyota’s historical challenge and its current technology of Toyota Vehicles
Here, I’ll report on the exhibition of “Automobile Pavilion” in theToyota Industrial Museum, following the last “Textile Pavilion.”. The “Automobile Pavilion” in the museum shows the Toyota’s historical development of technology and its initial business challenge, as well as its current conditions of automobile technology of
Toyota.
As we see the previous observation, Toyota has challenged to product automobiles using accumulated technology and capitals based on the textile machinery business from 1930s. The museum shows how Toyota could successfully transform its business from textile sector to automobile and how it expand its automobile technology and business to the current 
outstanding great position in the historical views and extensive technological analysis.
.
Visit Toyota Industrial Museum (1) – Textile Pavilion
Exploring the secret of Toyota initiative of textile initiatives
When the meeting being held last year in Nagoya, I 
have visited the Toyota Museum of Industrial and Technology. Because I’ve been long interested in the role of automobile industries in Japan and Toyota’s unique position of technology development and businesses in it. Regarding the automobile industries, it looks lots of hot issues are popularly discussed these days, like future of automotive industry, environmental measures, technological shifting to electric vehicles, safety and autonomous driving cars, and so on. In this circumstance, 
visiting the 
Museum was really good chance to get some clues for me about the technology issues of automobile industry as a whole and its development history in Japan.
♣ Visit Suzuki History Museum
Suzuki’s business development from weaving to bike and towards automobile
I had chance to visit Hamamatsu recently. There we could realize that 
major world-class motorcycle manufacturers, like Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha, were all born and developed around this industrial zone in Shizuoka prefecture. Among them, Suzuki is quite strong in the motorbikes and lightweight vehicles business and 
holds quite big share in Asia. Then, I decided to visit the “Suzuki History Museum” in this occasion. The Museum exhibited many motorcycles and lightweight-cars which were produced by Suzuki while describing the evolution of its manufacturing there.
Visit Mizuno Printing Museum in Tokyo
— Insight of the printing history with amazing exhibits
I’ve heard there’s a unique private museum on rare printing materials in near Tsukiji, Tokyo which is established by a printing company “Mizuno Pritech. ” So recently I visited there. The museum has exhibited a lot of historic printing machines and valuable printed products. 
There many Japanese and European historic printing works are observed, including the old European typographic books
since Gutenberg, in addition to Japan’s ancient and medieval book prints, wood-curved products in Edo period, first letterpress prints in Meiji period. Beside printing goods, the museum exhibits valuable hand-press machines too. I’m really impressed on the quality and volume of exhibits in the museum though it’s never a big facility. I’ve tried to describe the feature of collection and its cultural significance here.
Visit “World Bag and Luggage Museum” of “ACE”
Showing amazing collection of bags and their diversity in the world
Bags are essential goods for travel and expedition for long. 
So people tried to device a variety of tools for their social necessity since ancient times. Many items are used in this purpose, such as holding bags and sacks, box-shaped carrying equipment, handing purses, shoulder basket, large-scale woven containers, beside many other backpacks, suitcases, carrying goods. In this sense, the museum is quite 
knowledgeable for learning about history of carrying tools and their diversity because it is showing many exhibits classified by time and region in the world. I had a nice chance to visit this museum the other day and could learn much about bags. Such as, old Japanese bringing tools, European traveling equipment in 18th and 9th century, contemporary brand bags, etc. The museum also introduces the company history of Japan’s suitcase maker “ACE”. It was an enjoyable experience for me too.
Visit Toppan’s Printing Museum in Tokyo
– Explores development of printing world and society in history –
The Toppan’s Printing Museum is located in the Koishi-kawa in 
Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. The Museum is famed for displaying the elaborate historic features of publishing culture in the world as well as Japan. Last month I could visit the Museum.
In the museum, a wide range of exhibits describing printing culture and technology that 
influenced to human activities and its cultural advancement, such as development of the style of characters and drawing pictures, the way of printing technology. Many examples of historic evidence of printing from the ancient 
world to the present are exhibited, including Chinese text scripts, Japanese woodblock prints, in addition to the Western typographic printings works from Gutenberg, modern printing modes of Japan, etc.
Visit Noritake Ceramics Museum in Nagoya
— Looking into the artistic endeavor of Noritake’s ceramic business —
Japanese porcelain has been an important export item even before
the Edo era. However, Western ceramic tableware was a completely new field, so it was the Meiji period to begin with producing them for the first time in Japan. Noritake (former name · Japanese Ceramics) was a company which promoted this challenging business. This Noritake has recently established the “Noritake no Mori” Green Park 
for commemorating its 100th anniversary. This park was set up at the memorial place where its first factory was constructed. In the Park, there are some museums and facilities found which display the Noritake’s development story, historic products, working process, and intriguing matters.
Visit Mikimoto Memorial Hall
– Explored the life and works of a “Pearl King” Mikimoto Yukichi
In the Pearl Island, there is Mikimoto’s “Memorial Hall” besides 
the “Pearl Museum”. This Hall is showing the amazing works of Mikimoto Kokichi who has developed Japanese pearl industry. Kokichi is noted as an innovative entrepreneur producing cultured pearls for the first time in the world. In the Hall, the biographical story of Mikimoto Kokichi’s life and work is elaborately described, such as how he began 
the pearl business in his young age, and how he challenged and succeeded to produce “cultured pearl” in facing many difficulties and hardships. You’ll find a plenty of exhibits about Kokichi’s business life which is displayed by numerous photos, real products, memorials and documents, commentary panel and others.
Visit the Pearl Museum in Toba and Mikimoto
— Explore the secret of pearl jewelry world and Mikimoto’s pearl revolution
I had a chance to visit the “Mikomoto Pearl Museum” in “Pearl Island” of
Toba, in Mie Prefecture this year. The Pearl Island is a famous place where Mr. Mikimoto had successfully developed “cultured” pearls for the first time in the world, and the island is now one of the tourist attractions 
in the Ise Shima National Park too. The Pearl Museum shows us amazing pearl world by providing exhibits of real pearls and elaborate explanation regarding nature of pearls, way of breeding of pearl, making process of pearl’s jewelry, and other information related to pearls. It was a quite knowledgeable 
museum to see the history of pearls, and how man-made culture pearl was born and developed in this area. In addition, I had an occasion to visit the “Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall” which shows the development story of “cultured pearl” of Mikimoto Co. and its founder Mikimoto’s biography. I was quite interesting visit, so I’d like to report it here.
Visit NYK Maritime Museum and Mitsubishi
— Museum shows how Japanese maritime industry was formed and developed
Recently I had chance to visit the “NYK Maritime Museum of
History” in Yokohama and Mitsubishi Historic Museum in Tokyo. These Museums clearly show the development story of shipping industry in Japan from the Meiji period to now and the evolution by Mitsubishi Group. 
By visiting two museums, I felt to be able to understand slightly how Japanese maritime and shipping industries were formed and advanced as well as the history of Mitsubishi Business Group “Zaibatsu”.
Visit Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum
— Explore the water management and technology in Edo and Meiji period
Without the completion of elaborated waterworks in the Edo city, which 
had surpassed one million population in 19th century, wouldn’t be impossible to sustain their prosperous people’s life in that period. The “Waterworks History Museum” of Tokyo conveys such 
a message and describes the history how this waterworks was constructed and benefited to our social activity, as well as it informs their development effort and wisdom to construct them. So I visited this historic museum to know the background of waterworks in Tokyo recently. This is the record of my visit.
Visit Japan Stationary Museum in Tokyo
– Explore the roots of writing and painting tools in history —
There’s interesting museum displaying stationery instruments in
Asakusa-bashi, Tokyo, so I visited there recently in my curiosity. Name of this museum is “Japan Stationary Museum”, where the variety of historic goods for the business and educational use are 
collected and exhibited in global scale. This facility is proud of huge collection of ancient writing tools and its historic documents, such as variety of Chinese and Japanese brushes and ink-stones, precious pencils old and new, fountain pens, and others.
Visit Paper Museum in Oji, Tokyo
A museum for deepening knowledge about paper’s culture
Invention of paper and its development have greatly benefited to the
society in its lifestyle and cultivated the new frontier of cultural evolution in history. There’s a museum to make us feel like that. The “Paper Museum” in the Ohji district, Tokyo which established in 1998 is that. I encountered the fortune vising this museum lately.
This museum was describing the global history of paper with its socio-cultural impact, and evolution of Japan’s “Washi” paper and other interesting subjects, including current trends of recent paper industry in Japan, features of papers used in our daily use. Here’s the my impression of visit.
Visit Yokosuka Ironwork and Shipbuilding sites
Footage of Technology Challenge in the 19 century of Japan and its destiny
Last year, I’ve participated in a grand tour of the former ‘Yokosuka 
Ironworks site in Yokohama. Currently the Yokosuka port are mostly devoted to the military facilities like SDFJ and US Navy base and dominantly designated as offsite area. But the former dock sites and harbor facilities of the “Yokosuka Ironworks” can be observable from the Yokosuka’s coastal park beyond over the sea. And the “Verny Memorial Museum” and other monuments are facilitated to record the history of the Yokosuka Ironworks in the park. Among them, the museum now exhibits 
of machinery and equipment which were used in the Yokosuka Ironworks to commemorate their historical activities.
They show the footage how Japan had been engaged in challenging work to master the modern technology in coping up with Western power at the end of the Tokugawa period and afterward. This is a visit record at this time.
Visit Inuyama Karakuri Doll Museum
— Amazing Inuyama Castle and Karakuri Art
I got visited Inuyama city in Aichi Prefecture lately. The city
is famous in a national treasure “Inuyama Castle” built in the 16th century, and to retain historical townscape of Edo period, as well as to organize tradition of the old ritual festivals. So I could observe these historical sites and see some memorial heritages and 
museums in the city. Among them, the most impressive facility was the “Doll Pavilion” which exhibited the “Karakuri” dolls which is showing the superiority of Japanese craftsmanship in doll makings. It was a short time, but it was quite experience to observe the “Karakuri” exhibition there. Below is an impression of my visit.
Theme Park “Meijimura” in Nagoya suburbs
– Shows the Social Modernization and Development Industries in Meiji period, Japan–.
There’s a unique theme park which is called “Meiji Mura Village” in Inuyama city near Nagoya 
. The purpose of Establishment of the park is to restore and display valuable historic building and facilities in the compound.. Last year I had a chance to visit this Park while traveling around Nagoya.
These historic buildings visualize how Japan diligently learned the Western architecture and how fast developed its technology since Meiji period. This writing is my observation of Meiji Village at this time of visit.
Visit artistic Kawashima Textile Museum
– Find the culmination of weaving technology of art
Kawashima Textile (currently Kawashima Selkon Textiles) is a 
legendary Nishijin textile companies in Kyoto. This Kawashima established an artistic museum in 1990s, named “Textile Museum”, to explore the new form of weaving technology and to disseminate Japanese traditional textile-making craftsmanship in the world. The Museum now exhibits various historical fabric works in Japan as 
well as variety of textile products around the world. Especially, the exhibition of fine artistic woven textiles are glorious. I had a chance to stop by this museum and could observe its wonderful collections while traveling in Kyoto. I found there amazing fusion of modern textile industry and traditional artistic woven works which crystalized into the aesthetics world. This is a description of this visit.
Visit Shimazu Foundation Memorial Hall
Explore the roots of Shimazu which cradled a Nobel laureate engineer
The Shimazu Co. is a legendary science equipment manufacturer in 
Kyoto, and famous to rear a Nobel laureate engineer. This Shimazu set up the Shimadzu Foundation Memorial Hall in 1975 commemorating its 100th anniversary.
I had a chance to visit this museum while 
traveling in Kyoto last month. The museum has provided many valuable exhibits of epoch-making products of company and memorable pictures with interesting episodes, particularly, focusing the stories about its founding period. I’ve enjoyed very much of visiting. This is a short description at this time.
Visit the “Currency Museum” of Bank of Japan
- –Explore the history of monetary affairs and economic life of Japan
During this summer I revisited the “Money Museum” of Bank of Japan 
(BOJ) in, Nihonbashi, Tokyo after a long time. The museum is a major learning facility on the Japan’s currency and monetary issues. It was established by Bank of Japan in 1985 to publicize its financial role and the development of monetary problems. In the museum, 
the historical evolvement of Japanese monetary policies is shown by various real coins and currencies from ancient times to the present.
The museum also illustrates the dynamic flow of the Japanese unique currency movement with specific charts, documents and commentary panels, not only the display of money and coins.The following description is my impression of this visit.
Visit Postal Museum in Tokyo
— Encounter the roots of Postal service in Japan
I’ve just visited the “Postal Museum” in Kitasenju, Tokyo, near the Tokyo Sky
Tree Town recently. The museum extensively shows the situation of postal services of old and new in Japan. The modern postal system was regarded as a core infrastructure for mutual communication in our current society. In the case of Japan, the postal system was first launched 
in 1871 by adopting the Western modern postal system. Since then, the postal service is developing many types of services in this years. This visit was quite an useful for me to know about the history of communication and social infrastructure of the our society, such as the exchange letters and documents, dissemination and promotion of people’s mutual communication. This is the description on my impression of the visit. See full text…..
Visit Photo History Museum of Fujifilm
—- Hot Spot showing Camera History
The Fujifilm Co., which known as a film and camera maker, set up a “Photo
History Museum” in the company’s showroom of Roppongi, Tokyo. I happened to visit this museum in the last summer. The museum looks relatively small, but it provides an unique spot with talking about the camera history as well as showing series of Fujifilm’s flagship 
cameras, particularly on the Fujica models. The museum displays various pictures and photos indicating global development of the photograph technology. It also provides photo exhibition corner named “Fujifilm Fort Salon” for the photo contest.
This article is an impression of my visit there.
Visit Kamaishi’s “Museum of Iron History”
Explore the root of Japan’s modern making and the history of Kamaishi
I came to visit the “Iron History Museum” in Kamaishi just after 
“Hashino Iron Mine”, the World Heritage. This museum exhibits abundant materials regarding history of Kamaishi’s ironworks, along with useful information on the 
Hashino & Ohashi blast furnaces.
The collection includes many materials relating to the iron-making methods from the old traditional way, the modern iron-works by the blast furnace, the trace of Oshima Takato who contributed to the development of iron
technology, beside the history of the Tanaka Iron Works which led the initial iron-making industries in Kamaishi and Japan. And it would be significant that the museum introduces the historical situation of iron industry in Kamaishi, as well as the states in Japan a whole. 
Below is the impression of this time of visit.
It would be great pleasure if you look it through with the previous record “Visit Hashino Iron Mine.” https://igsforum.com/Kamaishi-Hashino）
Visit Kamaishi and its old Iron Making Heritage
I took a short trip to Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, to observe the Hashino 
Iron Mining heritage site which has designated as a World Industrial Heritage. The objective was to see the history of the Kamaishi Steelworks (currently the Nippon Steel Sumikin Kamaishi plant), and examine the origin of iron making site where the first blast furnace was built in Japan at the end of the Edo period, and to explore the root of development of iron and steel industries leading the industrial modernization of Japan in Meiji period.
It was a short trip, but I saw various valuable relics of the first modern blast 
furnaces at Hashino, and I could understand a bit how the iron making technology was advanced from the traditional “Tatara iron making” to the modern ones in history.Here’s the summary of my observation on the current situation of the “Hashino” and a short comment on the historical movement of iron industry in the Kamaishi region.
Visit to the Mitsubishi Industrial Museum
— Showcase of Challenging Technology of Mitsubishi HI today
三菱みなとみらい技術館訪問 ―三菱重工の技術挑戦をみるー
I just visited the “Mitsubishi Minatomirai Industrial Museum”
(MMI Museum) located in Yokohama recently. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the Japan’s oldest engineering technology company which has been leading and promoting Japanese heavy industries for long time. Now the MHI established the 
MM Museum in 1994 in Yokohama for the purpose to advertise the technology achievements and goals of company along with the Technology Development Center in
the Minatomirai district of Yokohama.
At the Museum they introduce the company’s major leading projects rigorously conducting today, such as environmental energy, deep sea exploration, aircraft, space and rockets equipment, transportation systems, and so on by presenting real products, models, simulation devices in systematic way.
♥ see MHI Museum site: http://www.mhi.co.jp/museum/
Visit IHI Ishikawajima Archive
I visited “Ishikawajima Archive”（石川島資料館） just after observing the IHI’s” i-Muse” museum. This archive was established by 
IHI on the purpose to introduce IHI’s development since its beginning and the local history of Ishikawajima region from the Edo era to the present. It was titled as -Area development from Ishikawajima ship yard to IHI business. The museum site is located in the corner of “River City 21” complex along the
Sumida River where’s transformed to the residential area after IHI moved to the newly reclaimed island Toyosu, Tokyo.
It’s never a big facility, but the exhibits are rich and attractive which convey well the
appearance of the evolving society of Ishikawajima area, as well as a history of shipbuilding industry development in Japan. This short description is my impression of visit.
Visit the “i-Muse” IHI’s Technology Museum
Exhibit IHI works on shipbuilding to space equipment
I visit this “i-Muse” of IHI (formerly Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy 
Industries) in the head office at Toyosu, Tokyo. IHI is proud of 150 year history since 1876, and now it holds a large share in the shipbuilding, heavy machinery, social and industrial infrastructure in Japan. The “i-Muse” is set
up by the IHI to show the company’s technology achievements in 2006. The records and products are exhibited there from the initial 
shipbuilding work to the current IHI challenging engineering
works. Then, the museum seems to be a valuable
archive to convey the engineering technology of Japan. This is my visit record at that time.
See: https://igsforum.com/2017/04/29/visit-the-i-muse-ihis-technology-museum/
Visit the “Kurofune” and the “Kaikoku” Museum in Shimoda, Izu
I visited the port city Shimoda on its way back from Nirayama to Tokyo. Shimoda is 
the first city formally opened for Western countries and only place 
permitted foreigners living live in Japan. So the Shimoda became the first community experienced the direct cross-cultural contact for the local Japanese.
From this, Shimoda has many historical sites showing 
this environment. For example, as “Kurobune Museum” in the premises of “Ryosenji” temple, where was the place to conduct 
diplomatic negotiations on the Shomoda Treaty, the Shimoda “Kaikoku Museum” (opening port memorial museum) are locating, and “Gyokusenji” temple where the first Consul General Mr. Harris was stayed. I have enjoyed visiting these places on my tour to the South Ize after the visit NRF.
This is my small record at that time of visit. See in detail with full text by click..
Visit the “Egawa Tei Residence” in Nirayama, Izu
( Journey to Nirayama Iron Faunas part 2)
Highlighting Egawa’s contribution to the NRF Furnace and other intelligent works.
I dropped by the old house complex of Egawa clan just after visiting the Nirayama Iron Furnaces. This Egawa’s former residence “Egawa Tei”, was 
built in the 15 century, is still remained as it is even after the 600 years or more. So the Residence was prized as a national treasury of Japan.
Meantime, the Egawa clan was a “Daikan”, a
bureaucrat of Tokugawa Shogunate, governing the 
whole Izu area, Shizuoka for several generations.
And in this family line, Egawa Hidetatsu had performed peculiar role for the Shogun policy regarding the Edo’s maritime defense, foreign policy, and educational activities around the end of the Tokugawa period. 
Recently, this Residence area became to the “Egawa Bunko” archive to exhibits valuable materials to trace the former Egawa clan’s historical life and the political and social contribution of Egawa Hidetatsu.
Please refer the full text describing the “Egawa Tei” Archive
Visit Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces
Impressed by the iron engineering challenge in the 19c Edo period
Recently, I visited the Reverberatory Furnaces in Nirayama, Izu, Shizuoka area. This historic site is one of the Western style iron melting furnaces 
which were built for producing iron cannon in the end of the Edo period. This type of furnace construction of was made in the many places such as Saga, Kagoshima, Yamaguchi and others under the threat 
from Western naval fleets. Particularly, Nirayama’s furnace is important because it shows the real figure of operated iron making process at the time of construction. For this reason, it was designated as the historic treasure of the country and registered as a Unesco’s “World Cultural Heritage” in 2015.. 
The “Guidance Center” was newly opened at the end of 2016. So we can see many valuable memorial goods and materials, and information on the furnaces. Now many visitors became visiting there to appreciate Reverberatory Furnaces (NRF) as a tourism target.
SEIKO Museum revisited
Seiko Museum ticks the clock watch history nicely in the collection
I visited the Seiko Museum in Sumida ward, Tokyo last year. The 
Museum is placed along the Sumida River about 10 minute walk from the Mukoijima Station of Tobu line. The famous “Mukojima Hyakaen Garden”, an authentic Japanese style garden, is located near the museum.
The “Seiko Museum” (formerly called Seiko Clock 
Museum) was set up in 1981 as a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Seiko Company. And it has done the major refurbishment in April 2012 and transformed to the full-fledged pubic industrial museum at that time.
The main aim of the establishment is said to acknowledge the development history of clock and watches in Japan as well as in the world. So the museum is displaying huge number of various Japanese precious clocks, old and new, worldwide historical clocks, world famous watches beside Seiko’s own watches, as well as Seiko’s company history.
Visit “Siebold Memorial Museum” in Nagasaki
Explore the roots of Japanese Western study “Rangaku” in the 19 century
シーボルト記念館の訪問
The “Siebold Memorial Museum” is found at the hilly site not far from 
Dejima, Nagasaki. The name of Siebold is widely known as a doctor and
scientist who expanded the precious knowledge of Western medical and science to Japan while staying in “Dejima” in the Edo period. He is also famous to introduce first about
Japanese real life to the European world, particularly on the Japanese fauna and flora, folklore, geography and the other subjects.
The Siebold Memorial Museum was built in 1989 as a monumental archive to praise the contribution of Siebold by the
hand of Nagasaki City government. It’s really wonderful place to visit for touching his footprints and contribution to the Japanese society. After visiting Dejima, I visited this “Siebold Memorial Museum”. This is a small description on my visit.
Home Page of “Siebold Memorial Museum”
http://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/kanko/820000/828000/p009217.html
Memories of Visit Nagasaki “Dejima”
Visit Nagasaki-Dejima and Siebold Memorial Museum (part 1)
Recently I visited the Nagasaki-Dejima to make a survey of the Japan’s foreign relation with Europe in the Edo period and its impact to 
Japanese modernization. It is known that Japan had closed diplomatic relationship with the Western countries over 200 years since 1600s, with the exception of Nagasaki-Dejima. However, the Western information and advanced science knowledge were continuously brought into Japan through the route of this small island. That has given a profound influence to the 
modernization of Japan afterwards. In recent years, the restoration project of Dejima was undergoing by the Nagasaki city government. When I visited the Dejima, the restoration project was at the final stage. Article here is my visit report of Dejima.
As for the Dejima, the homepages are provide by bilingual way, so the further details are available by the following address:
¶ Home Page “Dejima” http://nagasakidejima.jp/
¶ Home Page of Restration “Dejima” http://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/dejima/en/index.html
Visit the Miike Coal Mines site (2) “Coal Museum”
Historical sites of Miike Coal Mines (part 2)
– Visit the “Omuta Coal Industrial Museum”
(This section is continued section of the Part (1) Miike Coal Mines)
While visiting the historic sites of the Miike Coal Mines, I’ve visited the Omuta Coal
Industrial Museum. This museum used as one of the guiding facility for the visitors to the historical heritages of Miike coal mines in the northern 
Kyushu, since they were registered as a world cultural heritage in July 2015,
The museum is comprehensively exhibiting the historic materials related to the advancement of coal industries, particularly associated with the Miike coal mines. It seemed the museum was established to utilize this facility as a core promotion spot for the 
tourism industries around the Omuta area, as well as to remind people about the social background and technology challenges of the coal industry around the area.
In the museum, we can see a lot of learning materials which are displayed in the hall regarding the coal mining measures, products, and the developed technology by historical chart, dioramas and pictures, remodeling scenes, real working tools and equipment.
The contents and visit report were as follows.
大牟田の近代化産業遺産ホームページ https://www.miikecoalmines.jp/outline.html
Visit the former Coal Mines of Mitsui Miike (part 1)
Historical sites of Miike Coal Mines (1)
— The rise and fall of coal mining industry around Omuta, Kyushu
The “Miike Coal Mine” was established around1899 in Omuta, northern Kyushu area. This mining site had equipped 
with modern facilities being unusual at that time, and yielded a massive chunk of coal in order to respond to the huge demand generated by the rapid industrial growth in the middle of Meiji era (1900s). And this mining project is renowned for the contribution a lot to build the foundation of industrial success in the early time of Japan.
With this historical value, the former Miike Coal mines sites 
were designated as one of the “World Industrial Heritage” in 2015 by Unesco.
I’ve recently had a chance to visit these Miike coal mines while traveling in Kyushu, such as Miyanohara coal pit, Miike port, railroad track of Miike mines, as well as the “Coal Industry Science Museum in Omuta”.
This is a small record at that time.
Access to the Coal Mines sites
-
大牟田の近代化産業遺産ホームページ (Omuta’s modernized industrial heritage website ) https://www.miikecoalmines.jp/outline.html
Visit the “Museum of Logistics” in Shinagawa
— Look into the logistics world now and past —
There’s a unique museum in Shinagawa, Tokyo which explores the Japanese 
transportation systems named the “Museum of Logistics.” There, we could find various historical materials that show the evolution of transport and logistics technology and tools from medieval time to the present time in Japan. I have visited this museum to get 
certain images and knowledge about development of transportation systems and technology in Japan. This is a report describing my impression when I visited.
Visit Yawata Steel Works and its Blast Furnace Site
– A Historical Heritages ‘Yahata” as a Landmark of Japan’s Industrial Development-—
八幡製鉄所と東田第一高炉跡などを巡る―
It is said that one of the industrial development strategies after the Meiji restoration in 19c was the building up strong steel industry in Japan among others. The landmark policy was the establishment of the government-run 
“Yawata Steel Works” (“Imperial Steel Works”) in 1901.
After that Japan’s steel-making industry has made remarkable progress owing much to the success of Yawata Steel. This contribution was widely recognized in the world, and the sites of the former Yawata Steel were designated as a UNESCO’s “World Industrial Heritage” in 2015.
So I have visited these sites to try to find history of Yahata Steel there. This small report was made to describe the impression at that time.
Visit Chiba Museum of Science and Industry
千葉県立現代産業技術館を訪問して
♣ Museum Outlook
I visited the “Chiba Museum of Science and Industry” located in the Ichikawa City, Chiba, which is introducing the latest science & technology and the industrial development, particularly in the metropolitan area of 
Chiba. The museum was established in 1992. It exhibits various scientific goods and devices related recent achievement of technology in the field of petrochemical, iron & and 
steel, and electric industries. It is said that more than five million visitors have already visited since its launching. This report is my short description on my visit. The museum would surely give us a precious opportunity to learn about the origins of current science and technology,
Visit of Bridgestone Today; the Tire’s Science Museum
–Touch the Tire’s Engineering Technology and Entrepreneurship
ブリヂストン博物館訪問 - ゴムとタイヤの科学が学べる博物館 —
It is a rarely told but famous story that the global tire maker “Bridgestone” was born from a small firm “Shima-Ya” which had been producing Japanese socks “Tabi” in Kurume, Kyushu in the Meiji period.
This Bridgestone has established the “Bridgestone TODAY” Museum in March 2001 to promote the company’s products and developed technology in commemoration of its 70 years 
anniversary. There huge number of tire related exhibits are displayed In the museum to show their tire products, high-tech tires, rubber technology as well as company’s own history and its R&D efforts.
Amazing TOTO Museum of the Innovative Toilet
— Showing Toilet Revolution and its Impact to Social Life
The TOTO Co., a leading manufacturer of sanitary ware, has established a memorial museum named “TOTO museum” in 2015, as a commemoration of its 100 anniversary event. It was intended to spread the company’s history and products, and its technology. However, the museum is not
only to exhibit the products of TOTO, but purposed to disseminate the knowledge about the sanitary wares in Japan as whole, and it tried to indicate how these sanitary goods have improved the social life of people by the rich 
exhibition.
I visited this museum in this summer. The visit was quite satisfactory so as to excellent exhibition and good guidance. I could learn a lot about the evolution and technology of sanitary ware in Japan..Then I wrote a report of visit here to remind my memory.
(日本語エディションは 「九州・小倉のTOTOミュージアムを訪ねる」 でアクセス） and also refer to Museum web site of ” TOTO Museum” http://www.toto.co.jp/museum/
Visit Nagasaki Shipyard and related World Heritages
Walking around the Kyushu/Yamaguchi “Industrial Heritage” (3)
♠ Nagasaki Shipyard — Making Dawn of shipbuilding in Japan
It is widely known that the “Nagasaki 
Shipyard ” and its related facilities have played the pivotal role in the development of shipbuilding industries in Japan, and designated as a “World Heritage” to be valued its contribution.Then, I have visited these industrial sites in this summer, particularly Nagasaki Shipyard”Archives” （史料館）sites,to know the foundation of shipbuilding 
industry in Kyushu and Japan. Unfortunately, some areas were inaccessible because the Shipyard is still running and couldn’t step in to the certain places. This article is an small notes at this time of visit even though having some limitation.
View More!!!!!!! Full Text is available by click the above title:
このサイトは、筆者が長崎の産業遺跡、特に、三菱重工長崎造船所を訪れたときの記録で、日本の初期の造船技術の吸収と開発の経過を記してみたものである。日本の産業近代化過程で最も重要な部門の一つであった造船業が長崎、また、他の地域で胃らに展開されてきたかを記している。
(日本語エディションは 長崎造船と関連施設訪問の記録訪問 でアクセス）
Visit the Kagoshima’s World Heritages
♠ Visit the “Shoko Shuseikan” and World Heritage in Kagoshima
Walking around the Kyushu/Yamaguchi “Industrial Heritage” (2)
♣ Charm of Kagoshima’s World Industrial Heritage
The Satsuma’s Daimyo (Feudal lorthed), Nariakira Shimazu（島津斉彬）, began a great operation regarding modernization of the military and industry, called the “Shuseikan”（集成館）Project in the 
1850s. This Project had pursued the building of industry adopting Western technology, including the Iron casting, large western style shipbuilding, as well as cotton spinning engineering.These 
vestiges still remains in the Kagoshima area, and they were registered as the “World Industrial Heritage” by UNESCO in 2015 as a primary model of Japan’s industrial revolution.These historic sites are scattered around the “Sengan-En”（仙巌園）Park in the Iso district of Kagoshima City now, for 
example, the historic ruins of reverberatory furnace, blast furnace, shipyard, spinning plants, and others. Particularly, the “Shoko Shuseikan” （尚古集成館）is a most valuable historical archives to illustrate the whole picture of the “Shuseikan Project”. I have visited the “Shoko Shuseikan” archive and other industrial sites this summer. The following ascription is this visit record of that time.
＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋
Visit the Sony Archives to explore the Sony’s Roots
♣ Touch on the Sony’s Spirit by visiting Archives
ソニー歴史資料館を訪ねる
Sony is well known as an electronic pioneering company representing the postwar Japanese industry which based on the innovative technology. The Sony Archives, located in Shinagawa, Tokyo, is the museum showing the Sony’s significant footprints.
I have visited this Archives with my friend in this summer. The facility was not so big, but it exhibited number of Sony’s memorial products (over 250 specs) in the hall. It seems they showed the challenging history and technology of Sony. It also indicated the landmark and vestiges of the electrical and electronic industry in the post-war Japan as a whole. I felt this Archives was a 
valuable facility to be able to examine the Japanese electric industrial development and technology. The following is a small note describing the impression during this visit.
(Note: The pictures in the articles were used in the Sony’s web and brochures, because photograph was not allowed in the archive)
♥ Outline of World Industrial Heritage in Hagi Area
Several historic industrial sites in Hagi area (Yamaguchi Pref.) were registered as the “World Heritage” by UNSCO under the name of“Meiji Japan’s Industrial Revolution Heritage” in 2015. The reverberatory furnace, old shipyard site, Shokason-Juku academy
and other two facilities were selected. Then the Hagi city has set up a special facility “ Hagi World Heritage Visitors Center ‘Manabiya’” and started to advertise the details about the selected heritage sites commemorating of the nomination. This 
summer, I had an opportunity to travel to
Hagi and chanced to visit this “Manabiya” and several heritages sites there. This is a short description memo on this visit. Please look the the full report.
♥ Visit Olympus “Zuikodo” Technology Museum
The “Olympus’“Zuikodo Technology History Museum” (Hachioji, 
Tokyo) is a precious industrial museum which exhibits the essence of optical technology of Olympus as well as Japanese Optic technology. It was named “Zuikodo” in honor of its original lens “Zuiko” which was developed in 1920s. Recently I have visited this ” Zuikodo” Museum to explore the camera and optic technology world. There many historical and current 
advanced optical instruments were displayed, like super microscopes, and high-end endoscopes, beside Olympus
camera collections. The visit was a quite impressive. The following articles are the short memo on this visit impression.
♥ Visiting Nikon Museum; Amazing Optic World
I visited visited the “Nikon Museum” in this May. The Museum was 
established in 2015 in commemoration of the Nikon’s 100th anniversary. In this Museum, We can find lots of optical apparatus ever developed by Nikon, just not only camera’s exhibition.
By this visit people briefly see the Japan’s optical equipment technology in history. This is my record memo at that time.
♥ Visit Report of the Science Museum
The TUS Science Museum is well known of the collection of the leading calculator and computing instruments in Japan. The museum was established in 1980s adjoining Tokyo University of Science in Iidabashi, Tokyo. I have visited this museum in April with my friend to explore the roots of computing machines in Japan. This is a visiting report of the museum describing my impression at that time.
See TUS Science Museum HP: URL: https://www.tus.ac.jp/info/setubi/museum/
♥ JCII Camera Museum; a new charm of cameras
Japanese camera is boasting a top level technology, and keeps the highest reputation in the world. Particularly, Japanese optical manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, Konica, Olympus, Ricoh, and others have played a central role in this technology. The report is a record of the Museum visit with some additional data.
♥ Excellence of Japanese Sword Museum
“Token Museum” (Japanese Sword Museum) is an unique m
useum to exhibit the many precious swords and ornaments of the national treasury class. We can appreciate excellence of craftsman’s skill as well as the iron processing technology which became the base of later metal processing industry.
♥ Visit Silk Museum in Yokohama – A Story Teller of Miracle Textile
The Silk Museum provides the sensible information about a history of silk industry in Japan which has developed as a major export product. The report is a small note of impression of visit with some 
additional data on Yokohama.
♥ Toshiba Science Museum – a Visit Report
The Museum exhibits many Toshiba’s advanced technology products, and also introduces a historical electric technology development process in Japan and global. It was a valuable experience to know about sophisticating electric technology in Japan.
♥ Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution site “Kyushu -Yamaguchi”
UNESCO has registered the old industrial facilities in Kyushu and Yamaguch region to be a “world Industrial Heritage “ in July 2015. This section introduces some Web information on the related issues.
♥ Introduction of the Seiko Museum
Seiko Museum shows the historical development of clock and watch in Japan and world, as well as indicates the level of a Japanese precision mechanical engineering. The visit gave me rich information about them.
♥ Tomioka Silk Mill as a World Industrial Heritage
The story of Tomioka Mill, designated to the World Heritage by UNESCO, might be a great symbol of Japanese Industrial Revolution in the 19c Meiji Period. My visit made me remind again how Japan could have emerged as an industrial nation from the early time.
♣ Casio Digital Museum Visit;
Explore to the digital techno-entrepreneur Kashio. It’s an impressing visit to touch on the digital giant Casio Co. and its innovative products in the electronics. Here’s the small report on the Kasio Toshio as a techno-entrepreneur.
