Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine

Iwami Ginzan is a mining-heritage site in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture. From the late Sengoku period through the early Edo period, it was regarded as Japan’s largest silver mine, and it is said that it exported an amount equivalent to one-third of the world’s silver. It is registered as a World Heritage Site and attracts many visitors. You can walk through “mabu” mining tunnels (like caves) and see chisel marks up close; more than 700 such openings remain. Ryugenji Mabu can be visited anytime, while Okubo Mabu requires a reservation and cannot be visited in winter because it becomes a bat habitat. At the Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center, you can learn about the mine’s history through exhibits. Nearby, the Omori townscape remains, with historic streets preserved and old houses repurposed. You can also see samurai residences, magistrate office ruins, and the Kumagai Family Residence—home of a wealthy merchant who built a fortune from the mine. You can buy souvenirs at the “Riyokan Arata,” said to be Japan’s first barbershop. Access: from Oda-shi Station, take a bus about 20 minutes.