What is the Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery & Studio? The word “innovation” has a much broader meaning than simply “technical invention.” It indicates a new departure that becomes the driving force behind significant changes in lifestyles or the social system. In April 2007, based on this theme of “innovation,” the Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery & Studio (KIGS) opened in Yahata-Higashida, the first site of steel manufacturing in Japan’s modern age. Also known as the Kitakyushu Industrial Technology Aggregation & Preservation Center, KIGS integrates technology with design to foster the development of new innovations that incorporate the wisdom of Kitakyushu pioneers of the past into development for the future.