The Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan) (機械遺産, kikaiisan) is a list of sites, landmarks, machines, and documents that made significant contributions to the development of mechanical engineering in Japan. Items in the list are certified by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) (日本機械学会, Nihon Kikai Gakkai).
The Mechanical Engineering Heritage program was inaugurated in June 2007 in connection with the 110th anniversary of the founding of the JSME. The program recognizes machines, related systems, factories, specification documents, textbooks, and other items that had a significant impact on the development of mechanical engineering. When a certified item can no longer be maintained by its current owner, the JSME acts to prevent its loss by arranging a transfer to the National Science Museum of Japan or to a local government institution.
The JSME plans to certify approximately a hundred items of high heritage value over ten years.
Items in the Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan) are classified into four categories:
- Sites: Historical sites that contain heritage items.
- Landmarks: Representative buildings, structures, and machinery.
- Collections: Collections of machinery, or individual machines.
- Documents: Machinery-related documents of historical significance.
Each item is assigned a Mechanical Engineering Heritage number.
No. 1: Steam engines and hauling machinery at the Kosuge Ship Repair Dock, (built in 1868). - Nagasaki Prefecture
Landmarks
No. 2: Memorial workshop and machine tools at Kumamoto University, (built in 1908). - Kumamoto Prefecture
No. 3: Forged iron treadle lathe (made in 1875 by Kaheiji Ito). - Aichi Prefecture
No. 4: Industrial steam turbine (Parsons steam turbine), (made in 1908). - Nagasaki Prefecture
No. 5: 10A rotary engine (made in 1967). - Hiroshima Prefecture
No. 6: Honda CVCC engine (first engine to meet emission standards of Clean Air Act (1970)). - Tochigi Prefecture
No. 7: FJR710 jet engine (made in 1971). - Tokyo
No. 8: Yanmar small horizontal diesel engine, Model HB (made in 1933). - Shiga Prefecture
No. 9: Prof. Inokuchi's centrifugal pump, (made in 1912). - Aichi Prefecture
No. 10: High frequency generator (made in 1929 by German AEG). - Aichi Prefecture
No. 11: 0-Series Tōkaidō Shinkansen electric multiple units (operated 1964–1978). - Osaka Prefecture
No. 12: Class 230 No.233 2-4-2 steam tank locomotive (made 1902–1909). - Osaka Prefecture
No. 13: YS11 passenger airplane (flown 1964–2009). - Tokyo
No. 14: Cub Type F, Honda bicycle engine (1952). - Tochigi Prefecture
No. 15: Chain stitch sewing machine for the production of straw hats (made in 1928). - Aichi Prefecture
No. 16: Non-stop shuttle change automatic loom, Toyoda Type G (made in 1924). - Aichi Prefecture
No. 17: Hand operated letterpress printing machine (made in 1885). - Tokyo
No. 18: Komatsu bulldozer G40 (made in 1943). - Shizuoka Prefecture
No. 19: Olympus gastrocamera GT-I (made in 1950). - Tokyo
No. 20: Buckton universal testing machine (installed in 1908). - Hyōgo Prefecture
No. 21: Mutoh Drafter manual drafting machine, MH-I (made in 1953). - Tokyo
No. 22: Myriad year clock, (made in 1851). - Tokyo
No. 23: The Chikugo River Lift Bridge (opened in 1935). - Between Fukuoka and Saga Prefecture
No. 24: JSME publications from the early days of the society, (published in 1897, 1901 and 1934). - Tokyo
No. 25: "Hydraulics and Hydraulic Machinery", lecture notes by Professors Bunji Mano and Ariya Inokuchi at Imperial University of Tokyo (1905). - Tokyo
No. 26: Sankyozawa hydroelectric power station and related objects, (operating since 1888). - Miyagi Prefecture
No. 27: Hydraulic lock (made in United Kingdom, operating since 1908) and floating steam crane (operated 1905–2008), Miike Port. - Fukuoka Prefecture
No. 28: “Entaro” bus (Ford TT type), (1923, adapted from chassis imported from United States). - Saitama Prefecture
No. 29: Mechanical telecommunication devices (made in 1947 by Shinko Seisakusho Co.). - Iwate Prefecture
No. 30: Mechanical calculator, (Yazu Arithmometer, patented in 1903). - Fukuoka Prefecture
No. 31: Induction motor and design sheet (made in 1910, in the earliest days of the Japanese electrical machinery industry). - Ibaraki Prefecture
No. 32: Mechanical Device of Sapporo Clock Tower, (clock mechanism imported/installed from E. Howard & Co. in 1881, moved in 1906). - Hokkaidō
Landmarks
No. 33: Minegishi Watermill, (installed in 1808, in operation till 1965). - Tokyo
No. 34: The Master Worm Wheel of the Hobbing Machine HRS-500, (machining by Hobbing machine of Rhein-Neckar from Germany in 1943). - Shizuoka Prefecture
No. 35: Locomobile, The oldest private Steam Automobile in Japan, (one of eight imported from Locomobile Company of America in 1902, failured in 1908, discovered in 1978 then only boiler was replaced and operable in 1980). - Hokkaidō
No. 36: Arrow-Gou, The oldest Japanese-made Car, (one of Japanese fundamental vehicle technology made in 1916). - Fukuoka Prefecture
No. 37: British-made 50 ft Turn Table, (imported from Ransomes & Rapier made in 1897, but installed location was unknown before moved in 1941 then further moved to Ōigawa Railway in 1980, in operation. Two others are deemed also imported and still in operation in other locations, these historical details is not known). - Shizuoka Prefecture
Landmarks
NO. 38: Carousel El Dorado of Toshimaen, the oldest in Japan and oldest class in worldwide, produced by Hugo Haase (German, 1857-1933) in 1907, travelled in Europe, then moved to Steeplechase Park of Coney Island, New York in 1911, operated till 1964, then purchased, refurbished and operate in Toshimaen since 1971. - Tokyo
No. 39: Revolving stage and its slewing mechanism of old Konpira Grand Theatre. - Kagawa Prefecture
No. 40: Electric vehicle TAMA (E4S-47 I), produced by Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd in 1947, to overcome oil shortage after World War II. The car is with single motor of 36V, 120A, run 65km by single charge, max. speed 35 km/h. The second model in 1949 run 200 km. Used as taxi in Tokyo. Production had stopped due to cost of batteries by the time of the Korean War. - Kanagawa Prefecture
No. 41: The first made in Japan forklift truck with internal combustion engine, max. load 6,000 pound, in 1949, learned from Clark Material Handling Company's 4,000 pound type. - Shiga Prefecture
No. 42: Takasago and Ebara type Centrifugal Refrigerating machine. - Kanagawa Prefecture
No. 43: Automated Ticket Gate (Turnstile), OMRON and Kintetsu jointly studied from 1964, model PG-D120 operated from 1973 after prototype evaluation from 1967. - Kyoto Prefecture
Landmarks
NO. 44: Seikan Train Ferry and Moving Rail Bridge. The ferry service started between Aomori Station of Honshu and Hakodate Station of Hokkaido in 1908, and became train ferry service from 1925 till Seikan Tunnel operated in 1988. Landmark is both Hakkoda Maru (八甲田丸) and moving rail bridge at Aomori Station, and Mashū Maru (摩周丸) and moving rail bridge at Hakodate Station. - Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaidō
NO. 45: Type ED15 Electric Locomotive. This direct current locomotive is the first Japan made one in 1924 and operation till 1960. It is functionally equal to imported electric locomotive with specification of maximum speed 65 km/h with 820 KW by four main motors. - Ibaraki Prefecture
NO. 46: Silk reeling machines of the Okaya Silk Museum (岡谷蚕糸博物館), several types of silk reeling machines. Machines are; 2 silk reeling machines out of 300 machines imported by French engineer Paul Brunat (ポール・ブリューナ) for Tomioka silk mill which operated from 1872, Japan made machine based on French and Italian technologies, and some other Japan made improved and innovated machines. - Nagano Prefecture
NO. 47: Toyoda Power Loom. Looms power by steam engine type and electric motor types invented by Sakichi Toyoda in 1897 and patented next year. Machine's productivity is 20 times high and 1/20 of low in machine cost compared to imported machines, widely used throughout Japan. - Aichi Prefecture
NO. 48: Hydraulic Excavator UH03 is the first evolved type, made in Japan in 1965, having double hydraulic pumps and double valves with bucket size 0.35 m³ and engine output 58 hp. The excavators made in Japan before UH03 are single hydraulic pump and single valve type under technical tied up with Europe. - Ibaraki Prefecture
NO. 49: Zipper chain machine (YKK-CM6) is YKK Group first made in Japan machine in 1953, evolved from imported machine from U.S. in 1950. - Toyama Prefecture
NO. 50: Ticket Vending Machine is the first train ticket vending machine. Developed in 1962, it consists of approximately 250 relays, and can print train tickets for various destinations. It accepts coins, checks them for authenticity, sorts and stores them, and makes change. The improved type made in 1969 was installed in Bankokuhaku-chūōguchi station (万国博中央口駅) of Expo '70 in Suita, Osaka - Nagano Prefecture.
Landmarks
NO. 51: Tokyu 5200 series made in 1958 is the first railcar applying stainless steel on the exterior aim at no maintenance required of periodical painterwork. Tokyu 7000 series railcar made by Tokyu Car Corporation in 1965 is the first all stainless steel railcar including framing. The framing technologies learned and improved under technical tie-up with Budd Company.- Kanagawa Prefecture
NO. 52: Yoshino Ropeway opened on March 12, 1929. The oldest surviving aerial lift line in Japan and oldest class in worldwide. - Nara Prefecture
NO. 53: Oldest in Japan England style 9 foot length lathe made by Ikegai Corp., the first machine tool manufacture of Japan, in 1889 for own use. - Tokyo
NO. 54: Ricoh desktop copier model 101 is the first Japanese blueprint document reproduction machine using the diazo chemical process made in 1955. This copier with the newly innovated photographic paper brings no need to rinse in washing water and no odor operation. - Shizuoka Prefecture
NO. 55: Washlet G released in 1980 is the first type innovated by Toto. The original model for therapy of hemorrhoid were imported from American Bidet company in 1964 for Japanese market. Toto opened new market as the electric toilet seats for general use. - Fukuoka Prefecture
Landmarks
No. 56: Mechanical Car Parking System ROTOPARK, made by Bajulaz S.A. company of Switzerland, was imported in 1976 and installed as parking system in underground at south exit of Shinjuku Station. System is controlled by mechanical relay and DC motor. - Tokyo
NO. 57: Dawn of Japanese Home Electric Appliances made by Toshiba. Early years of Shōwa period 1930 to 1931, refrigerator and vacuum cleaner made based on General Electric model, and washing machine produced under technology introduction from Thor washing machine of Chicago-based Hurley Electric Laundry Equipment Company. - Kanagawa Prefecture
NO. 58: Former Yokosuka Arsenal's steam hammer. Six hammer were imported from Netherlands in 1865 Keiō. After Meiji Restoration, Imperial Japanese Navy, then after World War II, United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka utilized 0.5 ton work load capacity type had been used till 1971 and 3 ton type had been used till 1996. In 2002, hammer were returned to as the property of Japan, and display in Léonce Verny Memorial House. - Kanagawa Prefecture
NO. 59: Okuma Non-round Plain bearing and GPB Cylindrical Grinder developed by Okuma Corporation in 1954, 700 units produced by 1969, and contributed for Japanese precision mechanical industries. - Aichi Prefecture
NO. 60: Japan's First 16mm Film Projector. Hand drive projector, study from imported model, made in 1927, and motor drive type developed in 1930 by Elmo company limited. - Aichi Prefecture
NO. 61: Japanese Automata YUMIHIKI-DOJI, Karakuri ningyō (lit: a boy bending a bow), created by Tanaka Hisashige. - Fukuoka Prefecture
Landmarks
No. 62: Soil and Tractor Museum of Hokkaido. Display Tractor and Agricultural machinery innovation in Hokkaido mostly after World War II, and the resultant of artificial soil improvement technologies and agriculture managing philosophy. - Hokkaido
No. 63: Museum of Agricultural Technology Progress. Imported and Japan made 250 Agricultural machineries powered by human, animal labor then prime mover or engine from late Meiji period to late 1950's to early 1960's. Display includes Japan originated rice transplanter and straw rope producer. - Saitama Prefecture
No. 64: Telpher of the Port of Shimizu, operating in 1928 to 1971, height 8.4m, total rail length 189.4m, lift up weight 2 to 3 Tonne driven by electric motor, and used to imported wood discharge. - Shizuoka Prefecture
No. 65: Japan-made Snow Vehicles (KD604 & KD605) which reached the South Pole in 1968. Three snow vehicles participated round trip 5200km for 5 months, but one vehicle KD503 was engine troubled and thrown away on outward. The prototype KD501 was not used for the trip, and KD502 is preserved in Showa Station. Trip contributed to find out first meteorite in Antarctic. - KD604 is in Tokyo and KD605 is in Akita Prefecture
No. 66: Japan-made Wristwatches which Showed Remarkable Technological Innovations. Japan adopted Western style timekeeping system from traditional Japanese time system in 1873. Founder of Seiko, Kintaro Hattori, started in 1982 and produced pocket watch in 1985, first Japanese wrist watch Seiko Laurel in 1913, watch Grand Seiko (グランドセイコー), in 1960, was accurate as Switzerland Chronometer watch then the world's first quartz clock wristwatch Seiko Quartz-Astron 35SQ in 1969. - Tokyo
No. 67: Double Housing Plaining Machine: Made by Akabane Engineering Works, Ministry of Industry. Double Housing Plaining Machine, 6 foot type machine, with three emblem Chrysanthemum Flower Seal, made by Akabane Engineering Works of Ministry of Industry in 1879. Ministry of Industry produced Japan made various machine tool for industrial innovation aiming to modernization. - Aichi Prefecture
No. 68: Fuji Automatic Massage Machine, mass production type invented by Fuji (フジ医療器) in 1954. - Osaka Prefecture
No. 69: The Collection of Drawings for Japanese Machines. 288 drawings used, in early Showa period first edition in 1932 and revised in 1937, to let engineers learn the ability of Japanese machine the same or not inferior to imported machine. Drawing include 16 industrial field of machines such as measuring devices, steam boiler, steam engine, steam turbine, internal combustion engine, automobile, rolling stock, water wheel, pump, mechanical fan, gas compressor, cryocooler, Machine tool, crane, haulage, spinning and weaving machine. - Tokyo
Landmarks
No. 70: Railway bascule bridge "Suehiro Kyoryo". The bridge constructed in December 1931 and still in function as of 2015. The dimension is length 58m, width 4 m, balance scale 24 tons, movement girder length 18 m and weighs 48 tons. - Mie Prefecture
No. 71: Automatic Encrusting Machine Model 105. High viscosity material such as dough, for Manjū and wagashi of Japan and bread worldwide, is traditionally encrusting by human hand. The automatic encrusting machine is invented as model 101 in 1963, and improved model 105 in 1966, then it had been sold 1838 set in 8 years and contributing world food cultures in effective making. - Tochigi Prefecture
No. 72: Automatic Transmission of "MIKASA". The first Japanese Automatic transmission with torque converter developed in 1951 and front-wheel drive car MIKASA produced over 500 cars in 1957 to 1960. - Tokyo
No. 73: Japan Made First Coin counter. The coin counter asked by mint and produced in 1949 and delivered in February 1950. Imported large size of coin counter was used before this improved type with small size, simple structure and more accurate counting. Commercial type put in market in 1953. Selectable various coin size and counting ability contributed to lessen banking job for coin counting and Japan made full-line vending machines. - Hyogo Prefecture
No. 74: KOBAS Stationary Suction Gas Engine and Charcoal Gas Producer Unit. Wood gas engine with magneto ignition system had been started to develop in 1928 and produced in 1936. Less resource of petroleum during and after World War II in Japan, wood gas engine had been widely used by about 1955. - Hiroshima Prefecture
No. 75: Small Once-through Steam Boiler Type ZP. This once-through Steam drum type boiler less than 10 Atmospheric pressure and 10 m2 had been usable without license by change of law Industrial Safety and Health Act in 1959 then 70% shared in small boiler market. - Ehime Prefecture
No. 76: All Electric Industrial Robot "MOTOMAN-L10". MOTOMAN-L10 is first all electric drive industrial robot developed in 1977. Before this, Hydraulic drive system robot used with less accurate positioning, moving range and speed. - Fukuoka Prefecture
Landmarks
No. 77: Matsukawa Geothermal Power Plant. Operated in 1966, the first commercial power plant in Japan. To avoid erosion and corrosion of steam turbine blade from sulfur, turbine is made of chromium, molybdenum and vanadium steel without nickel. Initial power was 9,500ｋW, then improved to 23,500ｋW in 1993. - Iwate Prefecture
No. 78: SUBARU 360-K111. Japanese government proposed "national car" concept in 1955, then produced in 1958. Nicknamed tentoumushi (てんとう虫) means coccinellidae comparable to Volkswagen Beetle. - Gunma Prefecture
No. 79: Double Expansion Marine Steam Engine. Main engine, 97 horsepower, of small wooden guard ship Tachibana maru (Kanji: たちばな丸) in port of Kobe since 1911. Ship used as training ship by Kobe University (former Kobe University of Mercantile Marine) till 1964. – Saitama prefecture
No. 80: Simple Cash register Zeni-ai-ki. Produced in 1916 in lieu of imported expensive cash register. Attractive naming Zeni-ai-ki, literal meaning is money-matching-machine instead of traditional calculation by soroban, sold more than 10,000 units by 1927, well sold and widely used till further innovated type appeared after war over in 1945. - Tokyo
No. 81: Tatsuno’s Patent Gasoline Measuring Equipment Type No.25. First Japan made fuel dispenser in 1919. Implemented safety patented mechanism well worked and no fire in time of 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. - Kanagawa Prefecture
No. 82: Gate-type Car Wash Machine. Gate shaped Japanese first car wash machine with horizontal and two side vertical rotating brush type and wash up a car in three minutes developed in 1962. Before this, car wash is manual brushing with waterjet in 1950’s. – Aichi prefecture
No. 83: Optical Instruments of the Kashinozaki Lighthouse. Japan first one of eight Western style rotating flashing light lighthouse technically advised by Richard Henry Brunton operate in 1870. This is the first stone building out of 26 lighthouse advised and guided by him. - Wakayama Prefecture
