Bridgestone Hikone Plant

Bridgestone Hikone Plant manufactures passenger‑car and small‑truck radial tires at a large-scale facility that began operations in 1968. The site emphasizes linear material flow and is one of Bridgestone’s highest‑capacity domestic plants.

Tours are hosted by Bridgestone in Japanese, cover factory production areas (no photography), and highlight recent sustainability measures including use of externally sourced renewable electricity.

What you do and see

• A staff‑led, walking factory tour of about 60 minutes through production and packaging areas.
• Explanation of tire manufacturing stages, plant layout (raw material in east, finished goods west) and capacity highlights.
• Information on the plant’s renewable electricity adoption and local environmental initiatives.
• No photography inside the production areas; portions of the tour may be observational only for safety.

Best way to experience it

Arrive by taxi from Hikone or Maibara stations or walk from nearby Takamiya Station. Tours are conducted in Japanese and must be requested in advance by email; avoid July–September when tours are suspended due to heat‑stroke prevention.

• Tours run in Japanese and last about 60 minutes.
• Photography inside the plant is prohibited.
• Tours are suspended July–September for heat‑stroke prevention.
• Group visits require prior application by email (kengaku.hf@bridgestone.com).