Ashio Copper Mine Tunnel Tour

The Ashio Copper Mine, located in Ashio Town, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, is Japan's largest copper mine that produced copper for approximately 400 years from the Edo period. Currently operating as a tourist facility, part of the mine tunnels are open to the public, and visitors can tour the 700m-long tunnels by mine cart. Inside the mine, realistic mannequins recreate mining operations and actual machinery used during that era are on display, allowing visitors to re-experience the harsh working conditions of the time. An attached museum teaches the history of the Ashio Copper Mine Poisoning Incident. It's a valuable opportunity to experience industrial heritage that supported Japan's modernization.