Oya History Museum

Oya History Museum (Oya Shiryokan) is a museum built in the former Oya-stone quarry, offering a fascinating look into Oya-stone mining. Despite the name “museum,” it’s not a stiff or overly formal place—there are many exhibits, and it’s a popular spot even among younger visitors. Displays cover Oya stone geology, and tools and methods used during the era when mining was done by hand—from the mid-Edo period through around 1959 (Showa 34)—as well as how transportation changed as operations became mechanized. After descending a long staircase from the entrance, you reach the main highlight: the underground quarry ruins. This vast subterranean space spans about 20,000 square meters—large enough to fit a baseball field—and extends down about 30m, with the deepest sections reaching 60m below ground. The average temperature stays around 8°C, like a giant underground refrigerator. With lighting throughout, the space feels like a mystical other world. During wartime it was used as a secret underground factory; after the war it served as a government rice storage facility. Today it’s also known as a venue for weddings and as a filming location for movies and dramas.