World Heritage Identification Number: 1246
World Heritage since: 2007
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇯🇵 Japan
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and Its Cultural Landscape: A Historical Perspective on Mining and Trade in Japan
The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, offers a unique insight into the historical development of Japan's economy and trade relations with neighboring countries such as Korea and China. Located in the southwestern part of Honshu Island, this extensive mining area spans across mountains, deep river valleys, and coastal towns, providing a rich tapestry of archaeological remains that chronicle over four centuries of mining activities.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in the south-west of Honshu Island is a cluster of mountains, rising to 600 m and interspersed by deep river valleys featuring the archaeological remains of large-scale mines, smelting and refining sites and mining settlements worked between the 16th and 20th centuries. The site also features routes used to transport silver ore to the coast, and port towns from where it was shipped to Korea and China. The mines contributed substantially to the overall economic development of Japan and south-east Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries, prompting the mass production of silver and gold in Japan. The mining area is now heavily wooded. Included in the site are fortresses, shrines, parts of Kaidô transport routes to the coast, and three port towns, Tomogaura, Okidomari and Yunotsu, from where the ore was shipped.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii): During the Age of Discovery, in the 16th and early 17th centuries, the large production of silver by the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine resulted in significant commercial and cultural exchanges between Japan and the trading countries of East Asia and Europe.
Criterion (iii): Technological developments in metal mining and production in Japan resulted in the evolution of a successful system based on small-scale, labor-intensive units covering the entire range of skills from digging to refining. The political and economic isolation of Japan during the Edo Period (1603 to 1868) impeded the introduction of technologies developed in Europe during the Industrial Revolution and this, coupled with the exhaustion of commercially viable silver-ore deposits, resulted in the cessation of mining activities by traditional technologies in the area in the second half of the 19th century, leaving the site with well-preserved archaeological traces of those activities.
Criterion (v): The abundant traces of silver production, such as mines, smelting and refining sites, transportation routes, and port facilities, that have survived virtually intact in the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Site, are now concealed to a large extent by the mountain forests that have reclaimed the landscape. The resulting relict landscape, which includes the surviving settlements of the people related to the silver production, bears dramatic witness to historic land-uses of outstanding universal value.
Encyclopedia Record: Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
The Iwami Ginzan (石見銀山) was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to its closing in 1923.Additional Site Details
Area: 529.17 hectares
Number of Components: 14
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 35.1127777777 , 132.435
Image
© Naokijp, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. Sustainable Tourism Developments in an Early Industrial Landscape
A sustainable tourism model for the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Japan, has emerged as a solution to accessibility challenges. The historic site, known for its early modern urban and mining landscapes, faced significant visitor influx post-inscription (2007), which strained its infrastructure due to limited access in a steep, forested valley. To address this, a green slow mobility initiative leveraging IoT technology was implemented under governmental grants, aiming to balance tourism growth with environmental sustainability and inclusive access for both visitors and locals.
Ugo, M. (2023). Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. Sustainable Tourism Developments in an Early Industrial Landscape. Tourism Cases. https://doi.org/10.1079/tourism.2023.0007
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A Field Investigation on the Thermal Environment of Traditional Japanese Houses at UNESCO World Heritage Site: A Case Study of Former Oka House at Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in the Omori Area in Oda City
A field investigation of the thermal environment in a 100-year-old wooden house at the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine revealed that while the structure maintained comfortable indoor temperatures during summer, it faced severe thermal challenges in winter. Measurements showed that without air conditioning, indoor temperatures dropped below 1.5°C, and even after five hours of heating, they only reached 15°C—still below WHO recommendations. Thermography further identified that traditional paper partition doors (fusuma) acted as thermal barriers but suffered significant heat loss through joints, suggesting the need for improved insulation to reduce energy consumption while preserving the building's original state.
Shrestha, A., & Shimizu, T. (2023). A Field Investigation on the Thermal Environment of Traditional Japanese Houses at UNESCO World Heritage Site: A Case Study of Former Oka House at Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in the Omori Area in Oda City. Design for Climate Adaptation, 59–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36320-7_5
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Cultural Property and Heritage in Japan
UNESCO World Heritage designation transforms the value and perception of cultural properties, converting symbolic capital into economic assets through branding. This study highlights how official recognition alters property relationships in rural communities, such as Ōmori in Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, exposing heritage sites to reinterpretation by administrators and tourists while restricting their use. Despite local resistance to urban standards, legal frameworks of cultural property inherently involve communities in preservation efforts. The research examines these dynamics through fieldwork conducted post-designation (2007-2009), revealing conflicts between regional traditions and national policies. It also explores the role of heritage in community development programs (machizukuri) and the linguistic nuances surrounding cultural property, offering insights into Japan's broader heritage management challenges.
Russell, J. E. (2011). Cultural Property and Heritage in Japan. School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. https://doi.org/10.25501/SOAS.00014043
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Satisfaction-non-based Factors in Repeat Demand for Tourism and Its Strategic Implications A Case Sutudy in Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
Research on Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine reveals that repeat tourism demand is significantly influenced by non-satisfaction-based factors, such as anticipation and evolving preferences. These findings challenge conventional assumptions about visitor loyalty and highlight the importance of dynamic experiences in sustaining repeat visits. The study employed quantitative analysis to validate these factors' significance and proposed strategic implications for tourism management, emphasizing the need to incorporate non-satisfaction elements into long-term planning.
AKAZAWA, K., & SATOH, M. (2010). Satisfaction-non-based Factors in Repeat Demand for Tourism and Its Strategic Implications A Case Sutudy in Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. Journal of Rural Planning Association, 29, 287–292. https://doi.org/10.2750/arp.29.287
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