My time in Fukuoka may have been very limited but I still decided to spend a major chunk of it going in search of a large, strangely-shaped sci-fi-like concrete tower that appears to look like it’s still in the process of being built.

This uniquely-shaped structure suddenly appears in the middle of a local town which I visited back in late June last year. Due to some traffic congestion, my anticipated one hour bus ride from Ohori Park in central Fukuoka took longer than expected. The destination was Shimoshime which is located just to the east of the airport. A rental-car or taxi from the airport takes approximately 15 minutes so is probably the easier option.

After travelling for about an hour and a half (bus plus walking time) I finally arrived at the mining shaft scaffold that I’d come to see, and typically it began to rain almost as soon as I got to Nakayoshi Park which plays host to what was once the only national coal mine in Japan.

Rennovation work was supposedly done on it a few years ago to preserve it and it’s surrounded by a fence so you can’t get up close enough to really examine or explore it but at least you can walk around it all.

In some ways this huge reinforced concrete tower is nothing more than a single-photo stop for many who do visit it but I thought it was still quite interesting to see it from every possible angle as the shape of the building really does change depending on your view.

The huge tower is just under 50 metres in height and was built between 1941 and 1943 where it served as an elevator to raise and lower miners and coal to depths of 430 metres underground.

It was the only national coal mine in Japan until it closed in 1964 due to the demand for other energy sources like oil. Most of the related facilities were demolished but this tower was left alone as it was difficult to dismantle due to its extremely solid structure. Naturally, it has detiorated over the decades following its closure, hence the need for the aforementioned rennovation work.

Mining in Shime town began over a century ago by the navy, and coal was mined consistently for warships and steam locomotives before and after WWII. At its peak, 500,000 tons of coal was produced annually.

Other than the tower, the only thing of real interest is perhaps the main entrance to one of the tunnels which was completed in 1938. It has an arch stucture measuring 3.2 metres in height and 4.5 metres in width, and was not only used to transport coal but also to supply some air.

When I was done gazing at the main tower  in wonder I headed to Sue station on foot but kept looking back as the structure in the background got smaller and smaller before disappearing from my (rear) view. Out of sight but certainly not out of mind! It may be just a ruin for many people but it’s a symbol of the town, and was deservedly given some official recognition in the late 2000s when it was designated as a national tangible cultural property.

• Shime Mining Shaft Scaffold is located at 495-3 Shime, Kasuya-ku, Fukuoka-ken.

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