Iwami Ginzan

**One-third of the world's silver, from here:** Peak production in the 1600s hit 38 tons annually—one-third of global supply. Japanese silver from Iwami bought Chinese silk, Korean ceramics, and European firearms. When the mine exhausted in the late 1800s, Japan switched from silver to gold standard. That's the economic scale of this hole in the mountain. **Ryugenji Mabu tunnel, cold and cramped:** The main tunnel goes 600 meters into the mountain; you can walk 273 meters of it. It stays 11-13°C year-round (cool relief in August, relative warmth in January). Miners worked by candlelight in passages so low you have to stoop; some are barely shoulder-width. The humidity is high, the darkness total where the lights end. It conveys how brutal the work was. The rest of the tunnel is closed for safety. **Omori town, 400 people left:** The mining town of Omori once held 200,000 people. Now it's 400 residents in Edo-period merchant houses, samurai homes, and temples. Several machiya run as cafes, museums, and guesthouses. Many buildings are Important Cultural Properties. It's quiet, authentically preserved, not reconstructed for tourists. The contrast with modern Japan is stark. **Bike or bus, don't walk:** The tunnel and town are 2 km apart, uphill. Rent an electric-assist bike (¥1,000 for 3 hours) at the visitor center—the hills make it worth it. The route passes rice terraces and forest trails. Walking is possible if you're fit and it's not summer (exposed, hot, uphill). Most people bike or bus.