Hagi Reverberatory Furnace

The Hagi Reverberatory Furnace was built in 1856 by the Hagi Domain as part of attempts to strengthen coastal defense during a period of foreign pressure on Japan. The furnace was designed to reproduce a Dutch design that had also been replicated by the Saga clan in 1850. Built as an experimental test to determine if the domain could manufacture cast-iron cannons, the project ultimately ended in failure. Despite this, the experimental furnace demonstrated the samurai's attempt to conduct proto-industrial processes, providing practical experience that served as a foundation for Japan's subsequent adoption and adaptation of Western technology and the emergence of heavy industry.

The site was designated a National Historic Site in 1924 and was later recognized as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining, which received World Heritage status in 2015. The furnace represents a crucial moment in Japan's modernization, illustrating the nation's early efforts to integrate Western industrial technology during the transition from the Edo to the Meiji period.

Today, visitors encounter the substantial stone remains of the furnace complex. The structure consists of twin 10.5-meter-high furnace chimneys built with stone and brick. While only portions of the original structure remain, the ruins offer insight into 19th-century industrial technology and Japan's determination to modernize its military and manufacturing capabilities. The site provides a tangible connection to Japan's industrial heritage and the pivotal Bakumatsu period that preceded the Meiji Industrial Revolution.

The Hagi Reverberatory Furnace is located at 4897-7 Chinto, Hagi city, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The site is accessible by car; visitors can reach it from Hagi city center with local transportation. Admission is free. For more information or inquiries about the site, contact the Tourism Division of Hagi city at 0838-25-3139. The furnace is part of a broader network of Meiji Industrial Revolution heritage sites throughout Japan, making it an essential stop for those interested in Japan's modern industrial history.