Ongagawa Waterworks Pumping Station

Overview

The Ongagawa Waterworks Pumping Station, built in 1910 (Meiji 43) by the government-operated Yawata Steel Works, remains operational, supplying approximately 70% of the steel works' water needs. Constructed to support a plan to double steel production, it draws water from the Ongagawa River. Designed by Isaji Nakajima, considered the father of modern waterworks in Japan, it features British-imported coal boilers and steam pumps. The complex consists of two single-story red-brick buildings, constructed using the "English bond" method, along with a settling basin. These buildings, exemplary of Meiji-era brick architecture, showcase superior design in their window placement and rooflines. The design involved architects such as Kiichi Funahashi, who also worked on projects like the Nara National Museum and the State Guest House. In 1950, the boilers were replaced with electric motors, and coal-related facilities were dismantled and replaced with electric pumps. The pump room, preserving its original appearance, holds significant historical value as a testament to Japan's modernization. In 2015, it was recognized globally as a constituent asset of the World Heritage site, "Industrial Heritage of Meiji Japan: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining."