In Kake, upstream of the Ota River in Hiroshima Prefecture, there was an iron sand mine. Kake Sumiya Tetsuzan Picture Scroll depicts the process from the procurement of raw materials such as iron sand and wood charcoal to the production of iron using the “Tatara,” an ironmaking producing technology that has been handed down for over a thousand years, and then transporting products. This picture scroll is a valuable resource for learning about ironmaking technology at the time. The traditional domestic iron industry before modern times, represented by Japanese sword manufacturing, has been supported by iron production technology using TATARA.
Refinement of iron and steel is supported by various disciplines such as thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, material mechanics, and material metallography, together with the technological experience and knowledge that has been cultivated and accumulated so far. The Department of Materials Engineering is challenging on the creation of new materials, evaluation of their characteristics, and development of their process based on these technologies and sciences.

Picture scroll of Kake Sumiya Tetsuzan (iron mine)
1961
Compilation:Toyofumi Ogura, Hiroshima University
Plate Collection：Shintaro Kake
printing: Benrido Inc.
Collection: Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Tetsuzan, a mine of iron sand was located in the upper part of the Ohta River in Hiroshima Prefecture, and was developed by Sumiya, a Tatara iron manufacturer during  Kan-ei era. This picture scroll depicts the iron production process and is now a valuable resource for learning the ancient iron production technology.