Technical Tour
Important Notice: Technical Tour Registration
The technical tour has reached full capacity and registration is now closed. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and would like to express our gratitude for the overwhelming response.
An Alternative Technical Tour (Co-sponsored by the CyFA Research Subcommittee of ISCIE) is also available with limited tickets. Please see the section below for details and registration.
ISFA-organized Technical Tour
A technical tour is scheduled for July 23. The tour will include visits to JFE Steel Corporation West Japan Works and Kurashiki City. Lunch at Washuzan Rest House is included. Due to bus capacity limitations, the number of participants is limited to approximately 40 people.
Important Notes:
The tour will conclude at the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter and will not return to the Okayama Convention Center. Participants are requested to make their own way back to Okayama. Kurashiki Station is located approximately 15 minutes on foot from the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. The journey from Kurashiki Station to Okayama Station takes approximately 20 minutes by local train, and the fare is approximately JPY 330 per person.
Tour schedule
| 8:30 | Meet at Okayama Convention Center |
| 8:45 | Departure from Okayama Convention Center by bus |
| 9:45 |
Arrival at JFE Steel West Japan Works 1 Mizushima Kawasaki-dori, Kurashiki-shi, Okayama 712-8511, Japan |
| 9:45-10:00 | Briefing and distribution of protective equipment |
| 10:00-10:10 | Transfer from the Visitor Center to the Blast Furnace |
| 10:10-10:20 | Blast furnace tapping observation (from the bus) |
| 10:20-10:30 | Transfer from the Blast Furnace to the Plate Mill |
| 10:30-11:00 | Plate Mill Tour |
| 11:00-11:15 | Transfer from the Plate Mill to the Visitor Center |
| 11:15-11:30 | Return of protective equipment |
| 11:30 | Departure from JFE Steel West Japan Works |
| 12:10 | Arrival at Washuzan Rest House |
| 12:10-13:40 | Lunch at Washuzan Rest House and free time to explore the surrounding area |
| 13:40 | Departure from Washuzan Rest House |
| 14:30 | Arrival at the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter (Tour ends) |
JFE Steel West Japan Works (Mizushima, Kurashiki)
JFE Steel West Japan Works is one of the world’s largest integrated steel plants, operated by JFE Steel Corporation. The plant features highly efficient and synchronized steel production systems covering ironmaking, steelmaking, and rolling processes. It produces a wide range of high-quality steel products for global industries, including automotive, shipbuilding, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
Lunch at Washuzan Rest House (Shimotsui, Kurashiki)
Located within Setonaikai National Park, the Washuzan Rest House offers panoramic views of the Seto Ohashi Bridge and the scenic islands of the Seto Inland Sea. The facility includes restaurants and souvenir shops. An observation deck is located nearby, providing additional spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. Participants will enjoy a lunch featuring sea bream, a local specialty.
Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter (Kurashiki)
The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is a well-preserved historic district. Developed as a commercial and distribution center during the Edo period, the area is characterized by traditional white-walled storehouses, stone-paved streets, and willow-lined canals along the Kurashiki River. Today, the district combines historical architecture with cultural and artistic facilities, including museums, galleries, and renovated merchant houses. Popular attractions include the Ohara Museum of Art, the historic canal area, and the Ivy Square complex, which was converted from a former textile mill.
Alternative Technical Tour (Co-sponsored by the CyFA Research Subcommittee of ISCIE) – Limited Tickets Available
An alternative technical tour is scheduled for July 23, featuring a visit to YASDA PRECISION TOOLS K.K., a leading manufacturer of ultra-high-precision machining centers capable of achieving micron-level accuracy. This tour offers a unique opportunity to observe the manufacturing processes behind these advanced machine tools, including production facilities, rigorously temperature-controlled assembly environments, and manufacturing practices that integrate cutting-edge technologies with highly skilled craftsmanship. A special lecture is also planned, highlighting efforts to further enhance machine-tool precision as well as recent technological trends in advanced manufacturing.
Important Notes:
- All explanations during the tour will be provided in Japanese.
- The names and affiliations of participants will be provided in advance to the host organization for security and administrative purposes.
- Participants may register for only one of the two technical tours. Registration for both the ISFA-organized technical tour (for JFE steel) and the CyFA co-sponsored technical tour (for YASDA) is not permitted. If a participant registers for both technical tours, the ISFA-organized technical tour will be given priority.
- Lunch will not be provided. Participants are requested to make their own arrangements for lunch in advance.
- Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until July 1, 2026, and registration will close earlier if all available tickets have been allocated.
Tour Schedule on July 23, 2026
| 11:45 | Meet at JR Okayama Station |
| 12:00 | Departure from JR Okayama Station by bus |
| 13:00 |
Arrival at YASDA PRECISION TOOLS K.K. 1160 Hamanaka,Satosho-cho,Asakuchi-gun,Okayama,719-0303 Japan |
| 13:10-14:40 | Facility Tour |
| 14:50-15:30 | Special Lecture |
| 15:30 | Departure from YASDA PRECISION TOOLS K.K. |
| 16:20 |
Arrival at Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter Participants may choose to conclude the tour here. |
| 17:00 | Arrival at JR Okayama Station |
Please register via the Google Form below. Note that the form and instructions are available in Japanese only.