Spot

                 Ikuno Silver Mine used to have one of the best extraction yields in Japan. It was the first state-owned mine; in 1868, the Meiji government chose it to foster modernization with the support of French engineers. The Ikuno Mine Office Carriage Road (Ikuno Kozanryo Bashamichi) – now the Silver Carriage Road (Gin no Bashamichi) – opened in 1876 and runs south to the port of Himeji. Ikuno thus became a symbol of Japanese industrialization.

                 After more than 1,200 years of mining, Ikuno Mine closed in 1973. Soon after, the old tunnels were turned into a tourist attraction, displaying various artifacts so visitors could learn about the mining history and techniques throughout the centuries. Near the entrance of the sightseeing tunnel are an information center and a building displaying the smelting process during the 17^th and 18^th centuries.