A blast furnace is a facility that smelts iron ore to produce pig iron. The Higashida Daiichi Blast Furnace started operation in 1901 on this site. It is 30-meters tall with a cubic volume of 493.9㎥ and an authorized capacity of 160 tons. German technology was used for its construction. At its peak, there were 10 blast furnaces in the Yahata Area.
What we can see today is the 10th reconstructed blast furnace. It was built as Japan's first high-pressure blast furnace, boasting an authorized capacity of 900 tons. From the first firing in August 1962, it continued to operate until the blowdown in January 1972, and blazed the path for Japan's super-high-pressure blast furnace era.
The Higashida Daiichi Blast Furnace played a central role in pig iron production, and was eventually retired as the production base was transferred to the Tobata Area, among other reasons. Although it once looked likely to be demolished due to its age, it was instead designated as a cultural property of Kitakyushu City and opened to the public as a historical site thanks to a citizens' campaign calling for its preservation.
The Higashida Daiichi Blast Furnace Historical Site Plaza preserves the first blast furnace of the Yawata Steel Works as a symbol of Kitakyushu, which is the birthplace of Japan's integrated steel production. Visitors are able to see the reproduction of pre-blast furnace works, observe the inside of the furnace and learn about steel production by the furnace.