THE NAGASAWA FILTRATION PLANT IN KAWASAKI! A Location for Many SFX Productions!

A view of the Nagasawa Filtration Plant from just outside the entrance. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Everyone knows Tokyo Tower. The Diet Building? Been there, done that. Information about these locations are easily accessible for free on Google, but what about the more tokusatsu obscure filming locations that you can't just enter into search engines? There's only one place to find info on these locations, and it's right here on this blog -- all for free!

Today's entry is the Nagasawa Filtration Plant (a.k.a. the Nagasawa Purification Plant) in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. It ought to be instantly recognizable to readers of this blog, as it has been featured in many classic SFX movies and TV series.

Among other titles, it has been featured in Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961), Gorath (1962), episode 2 of Ultraman (1966-67), the Super Sentai series, and perhaps most famously as Jounan University's Institute of Biochemistry in Kamen Rider (1971-73).

On the other side of the filtration plant, you get a great view of Kawasaki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

As great a location as it is, you are not allowed to take pictures from inside the entrance gates unless you have prior permission. Also, you must arrange in advance if you'd like a tour of the facilities. Despite that, I had a great time seeing such an iconic and prolific filming location in person.

I was glad to find out that this location still exists, but I was just as surprised to find out what it actually is in real life! Who knew it was a water filtration plant? It's amazing to be finding out so many new things after so many years in Japan!