Kitakyushu Eco-Town Center

 

 

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Eco Project information center that supports the Eco-town.  It introduces initiatives and activities

implemented in Eco-town to encourage people to proactively used the facility for such activities

as environmental study sessions and interaction amongst visitors.

Kitakyushu Eco-Town is a project being developed after the city received approval from the central

government. It is composed of two main areas; a corporate park (Comprehensive Environmental

Industrial Complex, Hibiki Recycling Area) located in Hibikinada area in Wakamatsu Ward where the

majority of the companies engaged in the recycling business based on the Eco-Town Project, and a

practical research area where enterprises and universities conduct research.

 

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First Eco-Town Center in Japan opened in June, 2001

 

With an eye to building a “resource-recycling society,” Kitakyushu-city is engaged in the

‘Kitakyushu Eco-Town Project’ in which an environmentally-friendly society is formed by bringing

together recycling plants and research institutes. The Kitakyushu Eco-Town Center plays the role of

an information center that supports the Eco-Town. It introduces initiatives and activities implemented

in Eco-Town to encourage people to proactively use the facility for such activities as environmental

study sessions and interaction amongst visitors.

 

With visitors coming from all over Japan, the center takes reservations for visits as well as provides

tours of recycling plants and research facilities. Inside the center, technologies and products related

to the environment and recycling are exhibited while the details of the project of the Kitakyushu

Eco-Town Center are introduced on panels hanging on the wall. Furthermore, the center provides

facilities available for environmental study, exchange activities and research work.

 

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 General information  

・Address	10-20 Koyomachi Wakamatsu Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka-prefecture
・Access	A 30 minutes ride a vehicle from JR Kokura Station
・Opening hours	9h00 to 17h00
・Days Closed	Sunday, National holiday, December 29 through January 3
・Fee	No entrance fee is required
・Booking	Contact Japan KYUSHU Tourist for booking

 

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Environmental improvement history of Kiyakyushu

 

 

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The city once experienced the worst air pollution in Japan

 

Saw Dokai Bay turned into a “sea of death.” But it regained blue skies after

overcoming its pollution problem by the efforts of city, companies as well

as the women’s association.

 

Kitakyushu City, once known as a “town of pollution,” now plays the role of the driving 
force in creating a recycling-oriented society in Japan making use of the experience 
and know-how it accumulated in the process of overcoming its pollution in order to 
provide international cooperation.

 

The city grew as an industrial city after the establishment of Yawata Steel Works in 1901. 
It led Japan during the period of modernization and high economic growth with a focus 
placed on heavy industry.

 

 

Back then, plumes of smoke coming out of the steelworks were referred to as
 “seven-colored smoke” which was sung as part of the lyrics of the song of former 
Yahata City as it was regarded as a symbol of prosperity. However, the prosperity 
of industries brought about severe pollution and quite naturally the “seven-colored 
smoke” polluted the air and caused dust deposition. 
In the 1960s, air pollution in the Kitakyushu area was the worst in Japan and Dokai 
Bay was turned into a “sea of death” due to effluent from factories.

It was citizens who first noticed this problem of pollution. The city started to hear the 
voices of its residents saying such things as, “my house is becoming sandy” and 
“the laundry gets dirty” from around 1950. The Women’s Association in Tobata area 
stood up, investigated the problem themselves and asked the council, administration 
and companies to take measures against pollution. ‘I Want Blue Sky’, a documentary

film produced by the Tobata Women’s Association in 1965 was what symbolized the

citizens’ campaign calling for measures against pollution.

 

Pushed by the voices of its citizens, the Kitakyushu administration started to take action 
to grasp the actual situation by measuring the level of air pollution. It then gave 
instructions and conducted on-site inspections at these companies urging them to take

measures to improve the situation. Finally, the city concluded a pact on pollution 
prevention with each plant and established the Council on Air Pollution Prevention 
made up of the city, Fukuoka Prefecture, then Regional Bureaus of International 
Trade and Industry and about 30 companies in the city. These companies
responded by putting pollution control facilities in place as well as improving the process 
of production.

 

In the meantime, the Air Pollution Control Act and Noise Regulation Act came into 
force in 1968 and the following year, in 1969, a smog alert was issued for the first 
time in Japan. 

 

Fourteen pollution control related bills passed the so-called ‘Pollution Diet’ in 1970. 
Thus, public concern towards pollution problems grew high throughout Japan while in

Kitakyushu, the city and companies worked hand in hand to tackle the pollution 
problem which resulted in rapid improvement in the environment.

 

As a result, by around 1980, the blue sky came back to the town once covered with ‘
seven-colored smoke.’ Furthermore, over 100 species of fish live in Dokai Bay which 
was once nicknamed the ‘sea of death’ where not even bacteria could live.

In 1985, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 
introduced Kitakyushu in its White Paper on the environment as a city that transformed 
itself from a ‘Gray Town’ into a ‘Green Town.’ Also the city was selected as one of the 
‘Starry Towns’ with a favorable atmospheric environment in the ‘Starry Town Contest’ 
held by the Environment Agency in 1987.

These initiatives by Kitakyushu City are highly recognized by the global society. In 1990, 
the city received the ‘Global 500 Award’, which is given by the UN Environment 
Program (UNEP) to individuals and organizations that combat environmental issues, 
and was the first local government to win the Award in Japan. At the Earth Summit 
held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992, Kitakyushu City was honored with the ‘Local 
Government Honors Award. The city is the only local government to win the Award 
in Japan.

 

In addition, the initiative towards a better environment was enhanced and it started the 
sorted collection of cans and bottles in 1993. In 1998, a system in which residents are 
obliged to use designated plastic bags for municipal waste started. In 2001, 
‘Kitakyushu Expo-Festival 2001’ with the environment as a theme was held at 
Higashida area, an idle land owned by Nippon Steel Corporation, where infrastructure
improvement work was going on based on the concept of ‘Kitakyushu Renaissance.
Then, the concept of a ‘Green Village’ in Yahata Higashida began in 2003.
Thus, efforts towards a better environment advanced further.

As mentioned above, Kitakyushu was recognized as the ‘Environmental Model City’ 
together with 12 other local governments in 2008. The ‘Kitakyushu Asian Center for 
Low Carbon Society’ was opened in 2010, and in 2011 the city was selected as a 
‘Environmental Future City’ and also as the first ‘Model City for Green Growth’ in 
Asia by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

A new challenge as the driving force towards realizing a global low carbon society 
has started in Kitakyushu City where Japanese industry started.

 

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Kanmonkyo bridge

 

 

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Kanmonkyo Bridge is the suspended bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a stretch of water

separating two of Japan’s four main islands. On the Honshu side of the bridge is Shimonoseki

and on the Kyushu side is Kitakyushu-city.  The Kanmonkyo bridge was opened to vehicles

in 1973 and connected the Kyushu Expressway in 1984. It is the 34^th largest suspension bridge

in the world with a central span of 712 meters.

 

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Kanmon Strait

The Kanmon Straits, separating Honshu and Kyushu, is a very busy waterway with as many as

700 small and large ships a day passing through it. There are a total of seven ways to cross the

straits such as the 1,068-meter-lomg “Kanmon-kyo Bridge”, the “Shin-Kanmon Tunnel” , the

“Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel”, to cross on foot, the “ferries”, and the like.

 

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Konamon Pedestrian tunnel

Only the place in the world !   You can cross the strait on foot. The Kanmon Strait, separating

Honshu and Kyushu, is a very beautiful and busy waterway with as many as 700 small and 

large ships a day passing through it.

 

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General information  

 

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Tanga Market

 

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Typical Japanese market, known as “the kitchen” in Kitakyushu-city.  There are more than

120 shops in the 180 metre-long arcade. Here you get a true taste of the culture and sample

the real life style  of the people living in Kitakyushu. You can find fresh, inexpensive fish,

vegetables and meats, as well as local specialties such as karashi mentaiko  ( fish roe seasoned

with tasty spices and sauce) and nukamiso daki (boiled fish with paste made from rice bran 

and soy beans).

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 General information  

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Japanese Cultural experiences in Kitakyushu

 

Time to enjoy dressing in kimono tea ceremony experience, and Rickshaw riding experience 

at Kokura Castle Garden and Kokura Castle.

You can also take beautiful photographs in this location to provide you with wonderful

memories and recollection of your visit to Kokura Castle.

 

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Tea ceremony

The Tea ceremony follow a traditional ceremony of serving tea to guests.
The original form of tea ceremony was introduced to Japan from China by Buddhist monks,

and perfected by Master Sen-no-Rikyu based on the spirit of Zen in the 16th century.

 

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Experience riding in the Rickshaw  

invented in Japan in the beginning of the 20th century.

 

 

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History of Industrial modernization

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Japanese industry at the end of 19th century was 200years behind.  After Mathew C Perry

came to Japan in 1853, Japan’s industrial Revolution was started.

Since Japan’s modern Steel Industry operation commenced in 1901 in Kitakyushu,

Japan became the world’s leading industrialized country in only 100 years.

 

There is the KAIZEN strategy in the background to Japan becoming an industrialized country at a

rapid speed. The literary meaning of KAIZEN is improvement, refer to activities that continuously

improve all the functions applies to manufacturing process, purchasing and logistics, involve all the

employees form top management to site workers.  KAIZEN is applied for many companies in Japan

and is greatly contributed to Japan’s Industry.

 

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・1641   Dejima, a small artificial island was opened as Dutch trading port in Nagasaki 

               Nagasaki is the only place opened to oversea countries during the National isolation period

               from 1639 to 1854.

       

・1853  Mathew C Perry came to Uraga;

             the Commodore of the US navy, who played a significant role in Japanese history, 

             succeeded in opening Japan to foreign countries Japanese industry was 200years

             behind European countries at that time

 

・1853　Japanese’s industrial revolution started in Saga, Kagoshima and any other places

 

・1867  The sovereignty of Tokugawa Shogunate was returned to imperial court

 

・1868  Meiji Restoration

             the most important event in Japanese history, which heralded a new era of modernization

             in Japan.     This revolution restored the imperial rule to Japan after more than 250years of

            Tokugawa Shogunate, bringing about a major shift in political and cultural structure.

            National Slogan was Fukoku-kyohei, means “Enrich the country and strengthen the military”

            to promote industries and strengthen Japan against Western power.

 

・1897 The Meiji Government made the decision to build the Imperial Steel Work in the small village

　         in Higashida, Yahata, next to the Dokai Bay and close to the coal-rich Chikuho area

 

・1899   First Head Office of the Imperial Steel Works registered on the World Heritage was built

 

・1900   The Former Forge Shop and the Repair Shop of the Imperial Steel Works registered

               on the World Heritage were built

 

・1901   Operation of the Imperial Steel Work, in Yahata  was commenced

               In the beginning of the Blast Furnace was not successful, and then Japanese engineer

               Kageyoshi Noro modified the design and successful operation followed in 1904

 

・1915   Yaskawa Electric establish in Kitakyushu

 

・1917   TOTO establish in Kitakyushu

 

・1945   The Atomic bombs were dropped in Hiroshima on August 6 and in Nagasaki on August 9

 

・1960’s Experience the industrial pollution problems

 

・1962   Higashida No.1 Blast Furnace 10^th was blown in

 

・1963   Kitakyushu-city was born, five municipal cities ( Moji, Kokura, Yahata, Wakamatsu and

              Tobata) were equally merged; that was a very rare case in the world as each the cities

              had such different personality   

         

・1972   Higashida No.1 Blast Furnace 10^th was blown off late 1980s’ the structural flaw in

              Japanese economy came to the surface and culming in collapse of bubble economy

 

・1990   Kitakyushu-city received the “Global 500 Award” given by the UN Environment Program

              (UNEP) to individuals and organizations that combat environmental issues, and it was

              first local government to win the award in Japan.

 

・2001   Kitakyushu Eco-Town Center opened first in Japan

 

・2008   Kitakyushu-city was designated as the Environmental Model City

 

・2011   Kitakyushu-city was designated as the Environmental Future City

 

・2015   Site of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution is registered on the list of World Cultural Heritage

 

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Related sites to the Study tour

Study tour in Kitakyushu     Study tour in Nagasaki      History of Industrial modernization 

History of Japanese Christianity      Environmental Future city Kitakyushu

 

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Kyushu Railway Museum

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It is a railway theme park organized by JR Kyushu, showing the  history of Kyushu Railways.

Consists of 3 areas; main building, train exhibition hall and mini railroad park. The main

building has diverted from the original Kyushu Railway Headquarters red brick building built

in 1891.

 

Steam locomotive C59  manufactured in 1941

Electric limited express  train manufactured 1969

Exhibit the trains used  during Meiji era

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General information  

Address	3-29 Kiyotaki, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka-prefecture
Access	A Short walk from JR Mojiko Station
Open hours	9:00 to 17:00
Admission fee	JPY 300
Days closed	2nd Wednesday except August, 2nd Wednesday and Thursday in July

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Blue Wing Moji

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This bridge, made in 2003, is the only pedestrian draw bridge in Japan, and is one the most

popular photo spot in Mojiko Retro. The length of the bridge is 108 meters and it is opened

6 times a day at 10h, 11h, 13h, 14h, 15h and 16h.​  When a ship passes through, the main

24-meter span and the secondary 14-meter span are raised 60 degrees from the horizontal.
Don’t miss a beautiful sunset. 

 

 

General information  

Address	4-1 Minato-machi, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka-prefecture
Access	5 minutes walk from JR Mojiko Station

Kanmon Straits

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Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery Studio

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Museum of Industrial Technology. In April 2007, based on this theme of “innovation,

” the Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery & Studio (KIGS) opened in Yahata, Higashida, the

first site of steel manufacturing in Japan’s modern age. Various things related Industry

technologies are exhibited ; Exhibition Gallery shows items on the theme of technology

development World Heritage Gallery shows items related Meiji Japan’s industrial Revolution.

At the adjacent workshop building, manufacturing experience can be done.

 

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General information  

Address	2-2-11 Higashida, Yahata-higashi, Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka-prefecture
Access	5 minutes walk from JR Space World Station
Open hours	9:00 to 19:00 weekdays 9:00 to 17:00 Saturday, Sunday and National holiday
Admission fee	No admission fee is required
Days closed	every Monday

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