Ryugenji Mabu Mine Shaft
temple
龍源寺間歩
The mine shaft you are about to enter is perhaps one of the most significant of the nearly 1,000 mining tunnels and shafts that have been discovered at Iwami Ginzan.
Ryugenji Mabu, one of the most significant tunnels at Iwami Ginzan, was opened in 1715 under direct shogunate administration and operated for two centuries. Originally chiseled by hand to just enough width for a single miner, the main passage was expanded with drilling equipment in the late nineteenth century. The first 177 meters are open to visitors. Dozens of branch shafts radiate from the main corridor, following silver veins through the rock. The Asian common lady fern, a low-growing plant that thrives in heavy-metal-rich soil, still marks the tunnel entrance, a sign that silver remains in the ground here.
Remove shoes before entering any hall. Look for a shoe rack at the entrance. Carry a plastic bag for your shoes if none is provided.
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