Many people may have learned about the Ashio Copper Mine in their school lessons due to the pollution and mining poison. I was one of them, and I remember that there was still a bald mountain when I went near the mine as a child. The mountains, which were desolate and desolate, are still greening up due to ongoing erosion control projects, and the mountains seem to be almost back to normal.
At its peak, the mine is said to have produced 1,200 tons of copper, and the total length of the tunnels is said to be 1,234 meters. The tunnel is now partially open to the public, and visitors can take a trolley train deep into the tunnels, and in the inner tunnels there are exhibits that show how mining was done and how it works, using puppets. Visitors can walk through the dark tunnels while watching the exhibit.
Outside, there are trolleys, transport equipment, and excavators from those days. Around the site are the ruins of a refinery, a public bathhouse, a dwelling, and a house, so it is a good idea to take a look around.
Access is 53 minutes by city bus from JR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station. By car, take the Nikko-Utsunomiya Road to Nikko, Nikko City, and then take Route 122 toward Ashio. It takes about 30 minutes from the Nikko IC.
The Ashio Copper Mine contributed to the currency and temples of the Edo period and to the modernization of Japan. It is also a place where one can see and touch the negative legacy of pollution and feel the history of the area.
© Source travel watch