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Hitachi has smething that most of people know.
It is "Daientotsu", which literally means "big chimny".
Many years ago, Hitachi was a mining town.
There was only a short chimny in those days.
The polluted air damaged trees in the mountains,
and also damaged people's health. People were suffering.
They made up their mind to do something against the problem.
The only solution was to build the highest chimny people had ever seen.

The whole story was written in a novel
titled "A high chimny in a certain town".
(written by Jiro Nitta)
The chimny which had been loved and considered
as the symbol of Hitachi has finally collapsed recently.

It became a big news all over Japan.
The remains of the chimny is still standing there now.

photo by : Hitachi municipal office