(Recent Museum Visit)
The full report is available by clicking the following Title Letter.
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.
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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.
