Yawata Steel Works

Yawata Steel Works (八幡製鐵所, Yahata Seitetsusho) is a historical industrial site in Kitakyushu, a city known for its role in Japan’s industrialization. Established during the Meiji Period, it was chosen for its strategic location near a seaport and coal mine. The state-owned Yawata Steel Works became Japan's first modern steel mill, crucial to the nation’s growing industries, producing 90% of the steel at its peak. Today, the mill still operates under private ownership, with a few Meiji-era buildings preserved on-site, including the head office, forge, and repair shop, which received World Heritage status in 2015.

Although visitors cannot approach the historic buildings due to the mill’s operations, they can view them from a platform 200 meters away. Outside the active mill stands the Higashida Daiichi Blast Furnace, an iconic structure from 1901, still in excellent condition. The furnace, featuring multilingual explanations of steel-making, is a must-see industrial site and provides insight into the region’s industrial legacy.