Kojo Moe

“Kojo moe” is an expression that is somewhat difficult to translate but roughly means something like factory excitement. A more suitable English term would probably be something like factory fascination or simply industrial tourism. It refers to people who are fans of watching industrial buildings, preferably at close range and at night, and it has grown quickly in popularity during the last decade.

This trend mainly appeals to amateur photographers, and is attracting a growing number of people into several of Japan's most heavily industrialized areas. Most of these locations haven’t previously seen hordes of tourists flocking to them, but as it’s now a growing industry with specialist magazines, some companies even offer night cruises showing passengers nothing but views of the steel, concrete and chimneys. There are also several photographers making a profession out of their fascination for night views of factories, with books selling in the tens of thousands of copies, and several companies specializing in products such as calendars and DVD’s containing nothing but beautiful photos of impressive factories against starry night skies.

Kojo Moe

Not everybody is happy with this trend though. Several companies have expressed concern over the fact that the photos taken by these photographers could potentially reveal industry secrets. There has also been reports of people crossing fences just to get a better photograph, and also some tales of people getting sick due to prolonged exposure to hazardous substances. Needless to say, we absolutely does not suggest that you should try to get too close to a factory. The fences are there for a reason, so use common sense and make sure to follow the rules posted on any signboards in the area.

Kojo Moe

If this kind of destination sounds tempting to you, it might be worth your while to explore the outskirts of Himeji a bit more than most visitors usually do. The south-western part of town, specifically Aboshi, the last stop of the Sanyo line, is a heavily industrialized area, and one of the most popular spots for factory fans in the Kansai region. And yes, we can testify that the view from the waterfronts around here are indeed something special. Several huge industrial plants occupy the otherwise empty coastline, The wide sidewalks along the waterfront make it easy to set up a tripod and get good photos of the impressive view.

Kojo Moe

If you plan to come here, you should be aware that the coastline is located about two kilometres from the station. The easiest way to get there is by catching a taxi and asking the driver to take you to Aboshinagisa Park. Keeping in mind that there aren’t many taxis around the park at night, either make a deal with the same driver to come pick you up later that night, or make sure to make a taxi reservation back to the station beforehand, so you don’t have to walk all the way back to the station.

Kojo Moe

Kojo Moe

San'yoaboshi

Hyougo Pref

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網干なぎさ公園

兵庫県姫路市網干区新在家246-2

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