旧志免鉱業所竪坑櫓

Deep beneath our feet, a hidden world awaits. This is the Old Shime Coal Mine Shaft Tower, a monument to Fukuoka’s industrial past. The Old Shime Coal Mine Shaft Tower stands as a silent giant, a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of a bygone era. Constructed between 1941 and 1943, this tower served a vital purpose. It lowered miners into the depths of the earth and hauled coal back to the surface. The Old Shime Coal Mine Shaft Tower is more than just a structure. It’s a time capsule, preserving a crucial chapter in Japan’s industrial history. The tower itself is an architectural marvel, a unique example of a winding tower design. This means the hoisting machinery sits atop the tower, a structure known as a “Winding Tower” or “Tower Koé.” The tower is nine stories tall, with a massive 1000-horsepower motor powering the hoisting mechanism. Imagine the constant hum of that motor, echoing through the tower as it lifted cage after cage of coal. The mine operated until its closure in 1964. During its heyday, it produced over 210,000 tons of coal. Today, the Old Shime Coal Mine Shaft Tower stands as the largest remaining winding tower in Japan. It’s also unique because it was nationally operated from its opening until its closure. It’s a somber reminder of the hardships faced by the miners, who toiled tirelessly in dangerous conditions to fuel Japan’s growth. This incredible structure, made of reinforced concrete, cost 200,000 yen at the time, equivalent to about 6.6 billion yen today. It’s a symbol of the immense investment and effort poured into the coal mining industry. As you stand here, consider the echoes of the past. The clatter of the cages, the shouts of the miners, the relentless hum of the machinery. The Old Shime Coal Mine Shaft Tower is a window into another world, a world that shaped Fukuoka and Japan as we know it.