70420-0034 - Kawasaki Dockyard

A ship is being built at the Kawasaki Ship Building Yard in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture.

In April 1878 (Meiji 11), Shozo Kawasaki (川崎正蔵, 1837–1912) established Kawasaki Tsukiji Shipyard (川崎築地造船所) in Tokyo. The Kobe shipyard was established in 1886 (Meiji 19).

The company benefitted greatly from the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), as many new ships were needed and older and damaged ships required repair.

In 1896 (Meiji 29), the two shipyards were merged as the Kawasaki Dockyard Company, Ltd. (川崎造船所株式会社).