Uji Army Gunpowder Factory Remains (Uji Garrison)

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宇治火薬製造所跡（宇治駐屯地）

A former army explosives factory that continued production through 1945. Part of its extensive grounds is now Uji Garrison, where an altered nineteenth-century brick water tower survives; access is controlled.

Prefecture
Kyoto
City
Uji
Region
Kansai
Significance
Regional
Today
Rebuilt
Access
Restricted
Location accuracy
Approximate
Period
1894–1945

History

Uji's wartime industrial landscape reached far beyond the present garrison. A temporary army gunpowder works began operating beside the Obaku powder depot in 1894, followed by a formal opening in 1896. Expanded facilities eventually included land now occupied by Kyoto University's Uji campus and the Obaku area. Production of various explosives continued until Japan's surrender in 1945.

One surviving landmark is the brick water tower erected in 1895. Its original tank was removed in 1981 and an observation section was added in 1994, so its present silhouette combines an early industrial structure with later alterations. The factory subsequently passed through occupation and civilian use before becoming a postwar supply base.

The garrison remains an operating military installation. Official open-house events provide occasional opportunities to encounter its historical buildings, but ordinary unrestricted entry should not be assumed. The main gate is reached from the Keihan Obaku station area. This map marks the garrison portion of the former works approximately; it is neither a surveyed position for the water tower nor the full factory boundary. For visitors around Uji, the site adds a tangible industrial and military layer to a district more commonly associated with temples and tea.

Categories

Arsenal (primary)

Related themes

Heavy Industry重工業
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Imperial Japanese Army大日本帝国陸軍
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Sources

  1. 宇治駐屯地 歴史Government防衛省 陸上自衛隊 宇治駐屯地{"batch":"20261003","sourceNotes":"Confirms factory origin in 1894, broad footprint encompassing present Kyoto University campus/Obaku, production until end of Pacific War, postwar reuse; water tower built 1895, tank removed 1981, observation part added 1994. Avoided clearly erroneous municipal-area figure on page.","verification":{"coordinateSourceUrl":"https://mapcarta.com/W176682131","coordinateEvidence":"Mapcarta explicitly publishes latitude 34.91278 and longitude 135.79682 for current Uji Garrison, OSM way 176682131. Official garrison history confirms that site occupies part of former works; official directions corroborate location by Obaku station/Ingen Bridge. Approximate current-site representative point only.","accessCheckedAt":"2026-10-03","duplicateCheck":"Inventory has no 宇治, uji, 黄檗/黃檗 or Obaku factory record. Nearby 16th-division-hq-seibo-jogakuin is the former divisional headquarters in Fushimi, a distinct site and function. Osaka arsenal is also a separate location.","uncertainties":["Coordinate is a secondary-map representative point for the present garrison, not a primary surveyed remnant coordinate.","Historical industrial footprint extended beyond modern military property; current condition and access vary across former factory land.","Official event announcements do not guarantee access to every historic structure at each opening."]}}
  2. 総合資料館だより No.149：歴史資料課の窓からArchive京都府立総合資料館{"batch":"20261003","sourceNotes":"2006-10-01 newsletter distinguishes temporary operation beginning November 1894 from formal opening in April 1896; locates works beside existing Obaku powder depot.","verification":{"coordinateSourceUrl":"https://mapcarta.com/W176682131","coordinateEvidence":"Mapcarta explicitly publishes latitude 34.91278 and longitude 135.79682 for current Uji Garrison, OSM way 176682131. Official garrison history confirms that site occupies part of former works; official directions corroborate location by Obaku station/Ingen Bridge. Approximate current-site representative point only.","accessCheckedAt":"2026-10-03","duplicateCheck":"Inventory has no 宇治, uji, 黄檗/黃檗 or Obaku factory record. Nearby 16th-division-hq-seibo-jogakuin is the former divisional headquarters in Fushimi, a distinct site and function. Osaka arsenal is also a separate location.","uncertainties":["Coordinate is a secondary-map representative point for the present garrison, not a primary surveyed remnant coordinate.","Historical industrial footprint extended beyond modern military property; current condition and access vary across former factory land.","Official event announcements do not guarantee access to every historic structure at each opening."]}}
  3. 宇治駐屯地 イベント情報Government防衛省 陸上自衛隊 宇治駐屯地{"batch":"20261003","sourceNotes":"Read 2026-10-03; explicitly describes garrison public-opening events, with 2026 dates. Supports controlled/occasional access; no future event date or guaranteed tower access is embedded in public content.","verification":{"coordinateSourceUrl":"https://mapcarta.com/W176682131","coordinateEvidence":"Mapcarta explicitly publishes latitude 34.91278 and longitude 135.79682 for current Uji Garrison, OSM way 176682131. Official garrison history confirms that site occupies part of former works; official directions corroborate location by Obaku station/Ingen Bridge. Approximate current-site representative point only.","accessCheckedAt":"2026-10-03","duplicateCheck":"Inventory has no 宇治, uji, 黄檗/黃檗 or Obaku factory record. Nearby 16th-division-hq-seibo-jogakuin is the former divisional headquarters in Fushimi, a distinct site and function. Osaka arsenal is also a separate location.","uncertainties":["Coordinate is a secondary-map representative point for the present garrison, not a primary surveyed remnant coordinate.","Historical industrial footprint extended beyond modern military property; current condition and access vary across former factory land.","Official event announcements do not guarantee access to every historic structure at each opening."]}}
  4. 宇治駐屯地 アクセスGovernment防衛省 陸上自衛隊 宇治駐屯地{"batch":"20261003","sourceNotes":"Official directions place main gate beside Keihan Obaku station and west gate east of Ingen Bridge; corroborates mapped garrison location but does not supply tower coordinates.","verification":{"coordinateSourceUrl":"https://mapcarta.com/W176682131","coordinateEvidence":"Mapcarta explicitly publishes latitude 34.91278 and longitude 135.79682 for current Uji Garrison, OSM way 176682131. Official garrison history confirms that site occupies part of former works; official directions corroborate location by Obaku station/Ingen Bridge. Approximate current-site representative point only.","accessCheckedAt":"2026-10-03","duplicateCheck":"Inventory has no 宇治, uji, 黄檗/黃檗 or Obaku factory record. Nearby 16th-division-hq-seibo-jogakuin is the former divisional headquarters in Fushimi, a distinct site and function. Osaka arsenal is also a separate location.","uncertainties":["Coordinate is a secondary-map representative point for the present garrison, not a primary surveyed remnant coordinate.","Historical industrial footprint extended beyond modern military property; current condition and access vary across former factory land.","Official event announcements do not guarantee access to every historic structure at each opening."]}}
  5. 陸上自衛隊 宇治駐屯地 MapWebsiteMapcarta / OpenStreetMap contributors{"batch":"20261003","sourceNotes":"Coordinate-only secondary mapping evidence: 34.91278,135.79682 for OSM military landuse way 176682131. Representative point in current garrison, not surveyed historic boundary or tower. Historical claims rely on official sources above.","verification":{"coordinateSourceUrl":"https://mapcarta.com/W176682131","coordinateEvidence":"Mapcarta explicitly publishes latitude 34.91278 and longitude 135.79682 for current Uji Garrison, OSM way 176682131. Official garrison history confirms that site occupies part of former works; official directions corroborate location by Obaku station/Ingen Bridge. Approximate current-site representative point only.","accessCheckedAt":"2026-10-03","duplicateCheck":"Inventory has no 宇治, uji, 黄檗/黃檗 or Obaku factory record. Nearby 16th-division-hq-seibo-jogakuin is the former divisional headquarters in Fushimi, a distinct site and function. Osaka arsenal is also a separate location.","uncertainties":["Coordinate is a secondary-map representative point for the present garrison, not a primary surveyed remnant coordinate.","Historical industrial footprint extended beyond modern military property; current condition and access vary across former factory land.","Official event announcements do not guarantee access to every historic structure at each opening."]}}
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