{"id":143677,"date":"2021-12-03T11:53:35","date_gmt":"2021-12-03T02:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/?post_type=news&#038;p=143677&#038;lang=en"},"modified":"2021-12-03T11:53:35","modified_gmt":"2021-12-03T02:53:35","slug":"fukuoka-the-steely-backbone-of-japans-modernization","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/news\/fukuoka-the-steely-backbone-of-japans-modernization\/","title":{"rendered":"Fukuoka: The Steely Backbone of Japan&#8217;s Modernization"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The imperial steelworks established 120 years ago in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Pref., on the southern island of Kyushu, drove Japan&#8217;s modernization. And coal mined in the nearby Chikuho area fueled this industry. We visit old ironworks and coal mines along the railways that transported the coal, and eat a bento that has delighted travelers for a century. We meet a retired mechanic working to invigorate the area with railroad history and an ex-coal miner preserving its coal mining past for posterity. Watch the documentary here on NHK-WORLD: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www3.nhk.or.jp\/nhkworld\/en\/tv\/traincruise\/20211204\/2068022\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www3.nhk.or.jp\/nhkworld\/en\/tv\/traincruise\/20211204\/2068022\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 (43 minutes, filmed in Dec 2020) Nick Szasz, Publisher of Fukuoka Now is the navigator for this episode.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143678\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-train-driving_2021_WEB-001.jpg?resize=1400%2C776&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"776\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-train-driving_2021_WEB-001.jpg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-train-driving_2021_WEB-001.jpg?resize=300%2C166&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-train-driving_2021_WEB-001.jpg?resize=1024%2C568&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-train-driving_2021_WEB-001.jpg?resize=768%2C426&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143679\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-bento_2021_WEB-002.jpg?resize=1400%2C772&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"772\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-bento_2021_WEB-002.jpg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-bento_2021_WEB-002.jpg?resize=300%2C165&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-bento_2021_WEB-002.jpg?resize=1024%2C565&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-bento_2021_WEB-002.jpg?resize=768%2C423&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143680\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-sumo_2021_WEB-003.jpg?resize=1400%2C783&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-sumo_2021_WEB-003.jpg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-sumo_2021_WEB-003.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-sumo_2021_WEB-003.jpg?resize=1024%2C573&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-sumo_2021_WEB-003.jpg?resize=768%2C430&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143681\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-moji_2021_WEB-004.jpg?resize=1400%2C782&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-moji_2021_WEB-004.jpg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-moji_2021_WEB-004.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-moji_2021_WEB-004.jpg?resize=1024%2C572&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-moji_2021_WEB-004.jpg?resize=768%2C429&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143682\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-schedule_2021_WEB-005.jpg?resize=1400%2C988&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-schedule_2021_WEB-005.jpg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-schedule_2021_WEB-005.jpg?resize=300%2C212&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-schedule_2021_WEB-005.jpg?resize=1024%2C723&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fnn_nhk-schedule_2021_WEB-005.jpg?resize=768%2C542&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Disclaimer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Fukuoka Now posts summaries of Kyushu area news for those who cannot read Japanese. These are mostly summaries of publicly posted news from the Japanese media. Errors might occur during translation, those are ours. Images are sourced separately and are for illustrative purposes only. Use<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/contact\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this form<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to send feedback. Please share links to this page, it helps us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">English language Fukuoka &amp; Kyushu local news summaries are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/news\/archive\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">posted here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> every day.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or sign up for our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/mailmagazine\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free weekly newsletter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with all the top stories in one convenient email.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More Kyushu news on<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FukuokaNow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/fukuokanews\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/fukuokanow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The imperial steelworks established 120 years ago in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Pref., on the southern island of Kyushu, drove Japan&#8217;s modernization. And coal mined in the nearby Chikuho area fueled this industry. We visit old ironworks and coal mines along&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29305,"featured_media":143678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"class_list":["post-143677","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","location-kitakyushu","news-category-others","en-US"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/143677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29305"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=143677"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=143677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=143677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}