Tomioka Silk Mill

Japanese: 富岡製糸場 - とみおかせいしじょう

This silk mill in Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture, opened in 1872 (Meiji 5). It was established by the Meiji government to modernize raw silk production, which was the main export at the time, and to promote industrial development. It is known as Japan's first model government-run factory using full-scale mechanized silk-reeling equipment. After being sold to the private sector, it continued to operate until 1987. On June 21, 2014, the "Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites" were registered as a World Heritage Site.
Since Japan opened its doors to the world at the end of the Edo period, raw silk supported Japan's exports. However, the sudden increase in demand led to mass production of shoddy raw silk, and the reputation of Japanese raw silk fell. Furthermore, the Meiji government, which aimed to enrich the country and strengthen its military and promote industry, urgently needed to promote light industry. As part of this, a plan was made to build a modern, government-run model silk-reeling factory that would introduce Western-style technology and equipment, with the aim of improving the quality and production of raw silk and training technical instructors. French engineer Paul Brunat and others investigated possible construction sites. Tomioka was chosen because sericulture was thriving in the surrounding area, the water needed for silk-reeling could be secured, and fuel could be procured nearby (from the former Takasaki coalfields). The silk-reeling factory was designed by the Frenchman Auguste Bastien. It was a modern factory that used French-style silk-reeling machines and introduced a steam engine to provide power and heat. Odaka Junchu, a government official who had been involved in the plant's construction from the beginning, became its first director, and his daughter Yu was its first female worker. The plant began operations on October 4, 1872. The following year, Tomioka Silk won acclaim at the Vienna World Exposition. The working conditions were also modern at the time.
In 1903, having achieved its initial objectives of popularizing mechanized silk-reeling and training technicians, the factory was handed over to the politically-beneficial Mitsui family (later the Mitsui zaibatsu) as part of a government-run factory sale. In 1902, the Hara Partnership Company took over the facility, and in cooperation with Takayamasha, an educational institute for sericulture techniques, the company worked to improve the quality of the silkworm eggs supplied by the farmers who provided them. In 1903, it was separated into Tomioka Silk Mill Co., Ltd., and management was entrusted to Katakura, the largest shareholder. The following year, it merged with Katakura Silk Spinning Co., Ltd. In March 1987, operations ceased due to sluggish raw silk prices and other factors. It was owned and managed by Katakura Industries Co., Ltd. until the factory building was donated to Tomioka City in 2005.
Due to the wishes of the successive owners, the buildings from the time of the company's founding are still in good condition. The silk reeling mill, the two cocoon warehouses (east and west), the female factory (teachers) residence, the inspectors' residence, and the foreign accommodation facilities such as the Brunat Residence are all remnants of the original structure. The main buildings are of timber-framed brick construction, with a wooden framework and brick walls. The silk reeling mill is 140 meters long, 12 meters wide, and 12 meters high, making it one of the largest in the world at the time. ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), an advisory body to UNESCO, recommended that the Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites be registered as a World Heritage Site. The registration was approved by the World Heritage Committee in June 2014, making it the 18th World Heritage Site in Japan.

(Writer Toshihide Kanaya / 2014)

Source : "Chiezo" published by Asahi Shimbun Publications Co., Ltd. About Chiezo

Japanese:

1872(明治5)年に開業した、群馬県富岡市の製糸工場。当時輸出の主力だった生糸生産を近代化し、殖産興業を推進するために明治政府が設立した。日本最初の本格的な器械製糸による官営模範工場として知られる。民間に払い下げ後1987年まで操業を続けた。2014年6月21日に「富岡製糸場と絹産業遺産群」として世界遺産に登録された。
江戸時代末期に開国して以降、生糸は日本の輸出を支えた。しかし、手工業による生糸生産は、需要急増から粗製乱造に陥り、日本産生糸の評価が低落した。また、富国強兵・殖産興業を目指す明治政府は、軽工業の振興が急務となっていた。その中で、生糸の品質改善・生産向上と技術指導者の育成を目的とし、洋式の技術と設備を導入した官営の近代的な模範製糸工場建設が計画された。建設候補地はフランス人技師ポール・ブリュナらが調査。周辺地域で養蚕が盛んで、製糸に必要な水が確保でき、燃料が近く(旧高崎炭田)で調達できることなどから富岡が選ばれた。製糸場の設計はフランス人のオーギュスト・バスチャンが担当。フランス式の繰糸器械を用い、蒸気機関を導入して動力や熱を供給する近代的工場となった。政府の役人として建設当初から関わった尾高惇忠(じゅんちゅう)が初代場長となり、娘の勇(ゆう)は最初の工女として入場した。操業開始は1872年10月4日。翌73年には「富岡シルク」がウィーン万国博覧会で高い評価を得た。また、当初は労働環境も近代的なものだったという。
93年に当初の器械製糸普及と技術者育成という目的が果たされたとして、官営工場払い下げの趣旨により政商の三井家(後の三井財閥)に引き渡された。1902年には原合名会社が譲渡を受け、養蚕技術教育機関「高山社」と連携して繭を提供する農家の蚕種改善なども進め品質向上を図った。38年には、株式会社富岡製糸所として分離し、経営は筆頭株主の片倉に委任された。翌39年に片倉製糸紡績株式会社に合併。87年3月には、生糸の値段の低迷などにより操業を停止した。2005年に富岡市に工場建物が寄付されるまで、片倉工業株式会社が所有・管理してきた。
歴代所有者の意向などにより、創業時からの建造物がいまなお良好な状態で保っている。繰糸場、東・西2棟の繭倉庫、女工(教婦)館や検査人館、ブリュナ館といった外国人宿舎などは創業時の名残を今に留める。主要な建物は「木骨煉瓦造(もっこつれんがぞう)」といわれる、木の骨組みで壁に煉瓦を積み入れた造り。繰糸場は長さ140メートル、幅12メートル、高さ12メートルほどもあり、当時としては世界有数の規模を誇る。ユネスコの諮問機関であるイコモス(国際記念物遺跡会議)が「富岡製糸場と絹産業遺産群」を世界文化遺産に登録を勧告。14年6月の世界遺産委員会で登録が決まり、日本の世界遺産の18件目になった。

(金谷俊秀　ライター／ 2014年)

出典　(株)朝日新聞出版発行「知恵蔵」知恵蔵について　情報

<<: Tomioka Tessai

>>: Tomioka