The former Shimono Brick Kiln has a retro-futuristic appearance, with an antenna-like chimney extending above a circular base reminiscent of a spaceship

I thought it looked like a spaceship when I saw the photo, and I wanted to visit the site to see it in person. On top of a circular base made of red bricks, reminiscent of a spaceship, an antenna-like chimney stretches to the sky. The former Shimono Brick Kiln in Nogi Town, Tochigi Prefecture, is old but has a futuristic appearance, and I was attracted by its retro-futuristic taste.

As the name suggests, the former Shimono Brick Kiln was originally used by the Shimono Brick Manufacturing Company to manufacture red bricks. The circular, spaceship-like foundation is equipped with a Hoffmann kiln, which was the latest technology at the time the brick kiln was built in 1890. The Hoffmann kiln was designed to allow the continuous production of bricks without the need for ignition and extinguishing, by arranging the kiln in a circular pattern. The kiln fired bricks until 1972, and according to WIKIPEDIA, bricks fired here were used in Tokyo Station and the Nikko Kanaya Hotel.

Step inside by walking down a gentle slope. The foundation of the chimney peeked out from the center, and you could walk around the perimeter. I was the only one who was touring. Although it is so oddly shaped and looks like it would be a good installation, not many people seem to visit to see it. Well, it is certainly inaccessible. It is located in a place that is difficult to reach without a car. But I think it is worth a look.

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