Tomioka Silk Mill

**Tour highlights:** The guided tour (60 minutes, Japanese language, ¥1,000 entry) explains the silk-reeling process: silkworm cocoons are boiled to soften silk, then mechanically unwound onto spools. The original French-built automatic reeling machines (300 units) are displayed — enormous iron contraptions with gears, belts, and silk threads. The scale of 19th-century industrial machinery is impressive. Audio guides (¥200) available in English, Korean, Chinese — essential for understanding context. **East Cocoon Warehouse:** The 300-meter brick building stored silkworm cocoons before processing — temperature and humidity controlled to preserve quality. The structure demonstrates Meiji-era hybrid architecture: French brick-laying techniques (no cement, interlocking bricks) combined with Japanese wooden trusses. The building's length is dramatic — walk the full interior for perspective. The rooftop ventilation system (still functional) maintained airflow for cocoon storage. **Women's labor history:** The mill employed 400+ female workers (ages 15-25) who lived in on-site dormitories and worked 12-hour shifts. The mill was considered progressive — workers received education (reading, arithmetic) alongside technical training. Displays show worker uniforms, dormitory layouts, and daily schedules. The mill's role in creating Japan's female industrial workforce is a significant historical narrative. **Tomioka town:** After the mill, explore Tomioka's preserved Meiji-era streets — old merchant houses, traditional warehouses, and retro cafes. Lunch recommendation: try Joshu pork tonkatsu (上州豚とんかつ) or konjac dishes (蒟蒻料理, Gunma specialty) at local restaurants (¥1,200-2,000).