What other travelers are saying about Ashio Dozan Copper Mine
One of the quite interesting experiences — you get to learn about how copper is extracted and actually go into the mine for a real tour. Worth the money.
The mine has been in operation since the early 17th century, with its peak production occurring in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Ashio mine was one of the first mines in Japan to use electric trolleys to transport ore as early as 1891.
The severe pollution from sulfur dioxide emissions led to deforestation, acid rain, and contaminated water sources that devastated the local ecosystem.
Efforts have been made to address the pollution, and while some impacts are still visible, the site is now deemed safe for visitors.
Visitors can explore underground tunnels by trolley and learn about the mine's history, its impact on Japan's development, and the environmental challenges it faces.
A small museum with some English displays that can take up to 2 hours of your time.
It was pretty interesting to see how the mine was structured, and the techniques to repeatedly refine the copper.
There was also a small building that had dioramas of the transformation of copper to coins.
Overall a small attraction that's informative (with Google translate) and I feel, in need of support.
Once upon a time, there were many people living in the Ashio area. Today, I saw a few tourists and locals.
I got on a small trolley. The ceiling of the inside mine was so low that I had to watch my head. Apparently, the height of people in the Edo period was shorter than ours! If you were over 180 cm, you would still need a helmet to protect your head! lol.
I arrived at a small museum. The exhibition was so informative.
Outside the mine, I opened the door of the mint museum. The Tokugawa shogunate made coins here. People had to take off their clothes before leaving the mine. The magistrate needed to check that miners didn't steal any coins. I was lucky that I didn't have to take my clothes off! LOL.
I checked a souvenir shop, but the restaurant was closed. Overall, the Ashio copper mine is an important heritage site. It is worthwhile visiting here!
