Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution
The Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining (明治日本の産業革命遺産 製鉄・鉄鋼、造船、石炭産業 Meiji nihon no sangyōkakumei isan: seitetsu, tekkō, zōsen, sekitan sangyō) is a world heritage site, comprising 23 components around Japan.
Understand
During the Bakamatsu and Meiji eras (the second half of the 19th century), Japan transformed from a feudal state to a more modern society. The emperor realized that the needed to keep up technologically with the West in order not to become a colony. This resulted in an industrial revolution, and Japan can be considered the first country not part of a western empire to adopt western 19th century technology. This site, inscribed on the world heritage list in 2015 comprises some of the best preserved and most important places from that time.