日立製作所笠戸事業所

Overview

Hitachi Kasado Works is a manufacturing site of Hitachi, Ltd. located in Higashitoyoi, Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. As the main base of the company's Railway Systems Business Unit (an in-house company), it is known as a place where railway rolling stock is built, having turned out everything from steam locomotives to Shinkansen trains, electric railcars, diesel locomotives, monorails and trams.

Highlights

• ●Its standing as the main base of Hitachi's Railway Systems Business Unit
• ●A history of building varied rolling stock from steam locomotives to Shinkansen
• ●The presence of a large facility spanning 52 hectares
• ●A tradition of vehicle building of over a century since its 1921 founding

History

It was established on May 1, 1921 as the Hitachi Kasado Factory. Over more than a century since, it has grown into a core base for railway vehicle manufacturing. It is a large facility, covering 52 hectares with a workforce of about 1,500 (as of the end of March 2021), and has long underpinned Japan's rolling-stock production.

Map

33.9972, 131.8739 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Visit the area around the works in the coastal part of Kudamatsu City
2. 2Check in advance whether an official tour program exists and its dates
3. 3Learn about the site's history and role as a rolling-stock manufacturing base
4. 4Combine the visit with the townscape of Kudamatsu and the Seto Inland Sea scenery nearby

Did you know?

💡 A defining feature of this works is the sheer range of railway vehicles it has produced, from steam locomotives to Shinkansen trains, monorails and trams. Its long history since its founding in 1921 overlaps deeply with the story of Japan's railways themselves.

Nearby spots