π Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining
23 UNESCO World Heritage component sites reflecting Japan's rapid industrialization (1868β1912)
π Fast Facts
- 23 component sites across 8 areas in southwestern Japan, inscribed 2015
- Represents first successful transfer of Western industrialization to a non-Western nation
- Covers iron and steel, shipbuilding, and coal mining industries during the Meiji period (1868β1912)
- Sekiyoshi Sluice Gate of Yoshino Leat (Kagoshima) supplies water via 7 km leat system constructed 1852
The Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution comprise 23 component parts distributed across eight geographic areas in southwestern Japan, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. The sites document Japan's transformation from a feudal society into a major industrial power within roughly four decades, driven by the Meiji government's systematic adoption and adaptation of Western technologies. The collection focuses on three industries central to this transformation: iron and steel ...