The
foundations of a water pumping windmill have been found at a site that
until the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake was the French Consulate in
Minato-no-Mieruoka Park, Naka Ward, Yokohama.
4 red brick piers 1.3 metres tall by 1.2m wide were found at the site of
the well last December, and research in French government archives has
uncovered a record of having spent $1529.81 in 1896 on the well, windmill,
and water pumping facility.
2 piers will be preserved as a feature in the redevelopment of the park,
and there are plans to build a replica windmill.
There were once 3 windmills in the area - with the other 2 sites being
in Ferris Seminary (of which a photo survives in the Yokohama archives),
and in Yokohama Futaba Gakuen school.
Remains found of Japanese windmill destroyed in 1923 earthquake