I Go to Ashio Copper Mine in Tochigi

I went to Ashio Copper Mine Museum
It is located just two hours distance from home by car. Even so, I had little knowledge about the mine.
I studied about it and found that it had quite a history.
The Ashio mine had been in existence since 1600 when it belonged to the Tokugawa shogunate.
At that time it produced about 1,500 tons annually, although this declined when the mine was once closed in 1800.
It became privately owned in 1871 following the industrialization initiated by the Meiji restoration.
In 1880s, the production had increased dramatically, reaching 4,090 tons annually.
It was 39 percent of Japan's copper production. The mine was shut down in 1973.