What other travelers are saying about Kamaishi Municipal Iron History Museum
Informative museum about history of modern steel making in Japan from the first blast furnace
Staff even made sure that I found the correct bus stop just in time to get back into town
Visited as part of a shore excursion for a cruise that visited Miyako, Japan. Interesting video they played but it was hard to hear the English over the Japanese commentary.... wish they had English subtitles. View from the 4th floor is amazing.
Perhaps it will strike you as a must see destination, being a museum to the history of industry, both in Kamaishi and Japan generally, but for non Japanese speakers the museum is a bit of a miss, with only the brochure upon entry providing any real level of English language support - otherwise it's just examples of iron ore and iron tools with very little context. The scale model smelter demonstration at the start of the museum is visually impressive, however not necessarily worth visiting for that alone
I was wondering why there were such large cranes at the harbor, then I happened upon this museum. I has excellent exhibits on the history of steel making in the area.
I went there shortly after it opened on a weekend morning.
There weren't many other customers, so I was able to take my time looking around.
The staff were also kind enough to tell me that the theater was about to start and that the view from the rooftop was great.
The highlight of the exhibit is undoubtedly the theater. It focuses on Oshima Takato and provides easy-to-understand explanations of why iron production began in Kamaishi, how it was produced, and the history that followed.
Seeing this will make the other exhibits even more interesting.
When I went up to the fourth floor, I was indeed greeted with a spectacular view.
The museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:00. It closes on Tuesdays and during the year-end period from December 29 to January 3.
General admission is 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for high school students, and 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Group rates of 20 or more people receive discounts: 400 yen for adults, 200 yen for high school students, and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Free admission is available for people with disabilities upon presenting a disability certificate or the Mirairo ID app.
The museum is approximately a 10-minute taxi ride from JR Kamaishi Station, costing about 1,600-1,800 yen one way. Alternatively, you can take the Iwateken Kotsu bus heading for "Kamihirata" from Kamaishi Station, getting off at "Kannon Iriguchi" bus stop after about 7-11 minutes, then walk approximately 3-5 minutes to the museum.
The Hashino blast furnace ruins are located in remote mountains approximately 40 minutes by car from central Kamaishi, and a rental car is required as there is no public transportation to the site. A non-stop bus departing from Kamaishi Tourist Information Center is available, but requires a reservation two days in advance. The journey takes about 50 minutes and costs 2,000 yen for a round trip.
Visitors can experience metal casting by making small souvenirs such as keychains in animal or rugby ball shapes. This activity requires a reservation and costs an additional 500-700 yen beyond the entrance fee. The museum also features interactive exhibits including a computer Q&A about iron, steel playground equipment, and displays showing how steel is used in modern equipment.
