Ikuno Mine, Silver mine and mining museum in Asago, Japan
Ikuno Mine is a former silver extraction site and mining museum in Asago where one kilometer of underground tunnels runs through the mountain, allowing visitors to see extraction methods from several centuries. The passages display tools, walls marked by hand and machine work, and recreated scenes of past working conditions.
The site began operations in the year 807 and supplied silver to various clans before later becoming property of the imperial family. It closed permanently in 1972 after more than eleven centuries of metal extraction.
The complex houses a cave shrine dedicated to Kanayamahime no Mikoto, the deity of mining, where workers once left chalcopyrite offerings. This tradition connects the daily work underground with spiritual practices that remain visible today.
The temperature inside the tunnels stays around 13 degrees Celsius year-round, so bringing a jacket is advisable even in summer. Guided tours with English explanations are available for international visitors to help everyone understand the technical details.
Two original gateposts at the entrance carry the imperial chrysanthemum crest, marking the time when the site belonged directly to the Japanese imperial family. These rare symbols point to the period when the operation was under direct control of the throne.
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