Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace

What to know

The Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace (韮山反射炉, Nirayama Hansharo) is a well-preserved iron smelting facility on the Izu Peninsula. Built by the Tokugawa government in 1857, the furnace marks the beginning of modern iron production in Japan. It is the most complete reverberatory furnace still standing and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in summer 2015 as part of the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution.

Originally part of a larger factory complex, the furnace was constructed from local stone and brick. It represented cutting-edge technology at the time; the iron produced here was processed on-site and cast into cannons to strengthen coastal defenses in response to Commodore Perry's arrival with his black ships. Visitors can get close to the furnace bodies and four 15.7-meter-high chimneys, now encased in protective steel frames. A small museum provides further explanations and displays several cannons.

The Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace is a 30-minute walk from Izu-Nagaoka Station on the Izuhakone Railway Line (20 minutes, 360 yen from Mishima Station or 15 minutes, 310 yen from Shuzenji Station; multiple departures per hour). Alternatively, a taxi from the station takes 10 minutes and costs about 1000 yen.

How to get to and around the Izu Peninsula Hours 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from October to February) Closed 3rd Wednesday of each month (or following day if Wednesday is a national holiday), December 31 and January 1 Admission 500 yen Questions? Ask in our forum.