🗺️ Shanggu Collection Hall

The 11th lord of the Satsuma Domain, Shimazu Nariakira, was a wise ruler who promoted the construction of modern Western-style factories for casting cannons, as well as for building ships, glass manufacturing, and textiles. These modernization efforts were known as the "Shiseikan Project." After Nariakira's death in 1858, development continued, and in 1865, a mechanical factory for producing ship parts was completed. This factory has now become the "Shoko Shuseikan," a museum that introduces the 800-year history and culture of the Tsushima family. Although the exterior of the Shoko Shuseikan is Western-style architecture, the interior features traditional Japanese architectural styles. Inside, there are models of the machinery and reflection furnaces that laid the foundation for modern Japan, the earliest daguerreotypes taken by Japanese people, heirlooms passed down through the generations of the Shimazu family, and various items related to Nariakira, with approximately 10,000 exhibits on display. In 2015, it, along with part of Sengan-en, was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site under the "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution." Additionally, there is a Shimazu Satsuma Kiriko workshop, where visitors can closely observe the manufacturing process of the "Satsuma Kiriko," a unique craft created by Nariakira that is on the verge of disappearing like a fleeting dream.

The oldest Western-style factory in Japan. It features around 10,000 exhibits primarily based on Shimazu family historical materials. Nearby, there are many attractions such as the ruins of a reflection furnace and the Shimazu Satsuma Kiriko factory. It is recommended to also visit Sengan-en while you're in the area.