Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
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| Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape* | |
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| State Party |  Japan |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii, v |
| Reference | 1246 |
| Region† | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2007 (31st Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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The Iwami Ginzan (石見銀山 Iwami Ginzan?) was a silver mine in the city of Ōda, Shimane Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan. It was added to the World Heritage List in 2007. [1]
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[edit] Mine history
It was developed in 1526 by Kamiya Jutei a Japanese merchant. It reached its peak production in the early 17th century of approximately 38 tons of silver a year which was then a third of world production. [2]
Silver from the mine was used widely for coins. It was contested fiercely by warlords until the Tokugawa Shogunate won control of it in 1600 as a result of the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. [2] It was later secured by fences and barricaded by pine trees. Yamabuki Castle was built in the centre of the complex. [2]
Silver production from the mine fell in the nineteenth century as it had trouble competing with mines elsewhere and it was eventually closed.
[edit] Heritage site
Parts of the mining town remain in good condition and the Japanese Government has designated it as a Special Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings. The government also applied for it to become a World Heritage Site. The bid succeeded in July 2007,[1] although the ICOMOS evaluation of the site found no evidence of "outstanding universal value" attached to this property.[3]
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