Forerunners in Kyoto's Industries/Industrial Forerunners in Kyoto



Keage Electric Power Plant
Located at Awataguchi in Higashiyama Ward, it is Japan's first hydroelectric power plant, constructed as part of the canal works on Lake Biwa. After seeing the world first hydroelectric power plant in Colorado in 1888, Kokuro Tanabe returned to Japan to introduce the incredible capacity of hydroelectricity and promoting its use as electric energy. As a result of his efforts, the construction of Japan's first power plant, which utilized the water supply from Lake Biwa through a canal system, began in 1890, two years after Tanabe's return to Japan, and completed a year later in 1891. Along with this an inclined plane was built and this form of energy greatly contributed to the modernization of Kyoto. In addition, out of the idea on other ways to use surplus energy came the construction of Japan's first electric train system in 1895. In order to deal with the rise in demand for electric power, Japan's second electric power plant was built in 1912.





BACK