Kotetsu remained in Japanese hands after the civil war and was later renamed Azuma. Her useful combat life was short, but her material history continued after disposal. Armour plate from the ship was reused to make armature shafts for generators at the Asakusa thermal power station built in Tokyo in 1895. The navy also sold the vessel for more than it had paid, continuing the ship's unusual history of profitable resale. The ironclad shows how naval matériel could pass into Japan's wider industrial modernization.
Notable Point · 1:49:37-1:50:32
Kotetsu's armour became power-station machinery
After Japanese service and renaming as Azuma, the ironclad's armour was recycled into generator shafts for a Tokyo power station.