Explore Iwami Silver Mine In Shimane With Google Street View

As of June 2016, Japan has had a total of 19 World Heritage sites recognized by UNESCO: 15 Cultural Heritage sites and 4 Natural Heritage sites.

This time, we would like to explore one of those sites in particular: the Iwami Silver Mine (Iwami ginzan), registered in 2007. To do this, we will use Google Street View to assist us. It’s been almost ten years since the Iwami Silver Mine was registered, but it remains very popular to this day. What attractions lie beneath its surface? Let’s find out.

The Ryūgenjimabu Tunnel

Boasting a length of roughly 600 meters, the Ryūgenjimabu is the tunnel to the Iwami Silver Mine. 237 meters of the tunnel is open to the public, so you can visit it without any need to make reservations. At the end of an overgrown mountain trail, the tunnel’s gaping mouth feels like a mysterious portal to another world.

The narrow, meandering tunnel continues without end.

Built during the Edo era, before mechanical excavators existed, it almost boggles the mind that the tunnel was hollowed out just by human hands. While the tunnel is currently reinforced with steel, at the time it was only supported by wooden beams.

Go outside and you will be surrounded by this wonderful natural scenery. When the silver mine was undergoing construction, the builders made a conscious effort to minimize the damage to nature as much as possible. Thanks to those builders’ planning and hard work, the beautiful scenery has been preserved to the present day.

One of the reasons that the Iwami Silver Mine was registered as a World Heritage site was its “consideration for nature.”

The Ōkubomabu Tunnel

At the height of Japan’s prosperity (from the end of the 16th century to the early 17th century), it is said that the nation produced a third of the silver in the world, and most of that silver came from the Iwami Silver Mine.

The largest-scale tunnel in the mine is Ōkubomabu.

In order to preserve Ōkubomabu, it is necessary to make reservations to see the tunnel. Tours may be canceled due to bad weather, so be forewarned when making your sightseeing schedule. Compared to Ryūgenjimabu, the entrance is a little quiet, and feels somewhat forlorn.

The inside of the tunnel is very dark and the ground underfoot is not in the best condition, so a helmet, flashlight and long sturdy boots are required. A guide will show you around the tunnel, so for your safety, please follow their instructions. Joining a tour costs 4000 yen per person, and it’s not an easy excursion, but it’s worth your time and money.

Shimizudani Smelting Ruins

The Shimizudani smelting area is a comparatively new part of the Iwami Silver Mine; it was built in 1895 after a huge investment. At the time, the smelting area was equipped with cutting-edge technology. However, apparently the silver ore was lower in quality than the company expected, and the smelter was unable to turn a profit, so it was shut down after just a year.

Originally created with the latest engineering techniques and regularly maintained, it’s a shock to see that the smelting area is now overrun with moss and lichen, just a little over a century later. The now-green stone walls have a charm to them, and a quintessential Japanese beauty.

Seeing the careful and thorough construction of the stone walls, you can understand how much the builders expected from the smelting area.

Conclusion

What do you think? Did you come to understand the appeal of the Iwami Silver Mine? The mine tunnels aren’t just caves. These tunnels have five centuries of history inside them, with the feelings of many people etched into their walls. We hope that you were able to perceive even a fragment of the beauty and grandeur of the mine through the Street View tour. If you have a chance to visit Shimane and enjoy its natural sites, go and see the Iwami Silver Mine. Feel the breath of nature on your skin for yourself, and you may understand what the builders of the mine felt, all those years ago.

Information

Iwami Silver Mine Sightseeing Map

Ryūgenjimabu
Address: Shimane, Ōta-shi, Ōmori-cho
Hours:
[3/20-11/23] 09:00-17:00
[11/24-3/19] 09:00-16:00
Closed: New Year’s Day (1/1)
Nearest Station: Sekai Isan Center (世界遺産センター) bus stop
Access: From Ōta-shi Station (大田市駅, on the JR San-in Main Line), take the Iwami Transport Bus bound for Omori / Oya (大森・大家方面) and ride for 30 minutes; get off at Sekai Isan Center (世界遺産センター)
Price range: 410 yen (adults) 200 yen (children)
Phone number: 0854-82-1600
Homepage: Ryugenjimabu (Shimane Tourist Navigation) (Japanese only)

Ōkubomabu Restricted Tour
Address: Shimane, Ōta-shi, Ōmori-cho I-1597-3 (Iwami Silver Mine World Heritage Center)
Daily tour schedule:
1. 9:30-12:00 (09:00 meetup)
2. 10:30-13:00 (10:00 meetup)
3. 12:15-14:45 (11:45 meetup)
4. 13:15-15:45 (12:45 meetup)
Expected operating dates:
4/1/2016-11/30/2016 - Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
8/15/2016 - during the Obon holiday
March 2016 - Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
Credit Cards: No
Other Languages: No
Pamphlets in Other Languages: No
Meetup Area: Iwami Silver Mine World Heritage Center
Nearest Station: Ōmori (大森) bus stop
Access: From Ōta-shi Station (大田市駅, on the JR San-in Main Line), take the Iwami Transport Bus bound for Ōmori / Ōya (大森・大家方面) and ride for 30 minutes; get off at Ōmori and walk for 40 minutes
Tour price: 4000 yen (adults), 3000 yen (students)
**Children younger than elementary school age cannot take the tour.
Phone number: 0854-84-0750 (reservation center) 0854-89-0881 (tour desk)
Homepage: Ōkubomabu Restricted Tour (Japanese only)