Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. Sustainable Tourism Developments in an Early Industrial Landscape

Abstract

SummaryIwami Ginzan Silver Mine is located in Shimane Prefecture, Western Japan, and consists of urban and mining areas. The historic town, Ōmori, developed in the early modern period (1573–1868) in conjunction with the exploitation of the silver mine. The archaeological remains comprise mine shafts, tunnels and workshops, located in a forested mountainous landscape. Although ideal for hiking or trekking, the area slopes upward within a narrow valley making the whole area difficult to access for satisfactory and inclusive sightseeing. The significant increase in visitors that followed the inscription of this area onto the World Heritage List (2007), was short-term but exacerbated the issue. After some trials and errors, a sustainable, effective and safe solution for access to the site for both inhabitants and visitors is now underway, taking advantage of a newly established governmental grant scheme for “green slow mobility” linked to the Internet of Things (IoT) technology.© The Author 2023