Iwami Ginzan

Japanese: 石見銀山 - いわみぎんざん

A representative silver mine from the Sengoku period to the mid-Edo period. Located in Omori, Nima County, Iwami Province (Omori Town, Oda City, Shimane Prefecture), it was a pioneer in the development of gold and silver mines in the early modern period. It is said to have been discovered in the early 14th century, but full-scale development began in the first half of the 16th century, and in 1533 (Tenbun 2), Kamiya Jutei, accompanied by a smelter from Hakata, succeeded in smelting silver. After that, the Ouchi, Ogasawara, Amago and Mori clans repeatedly competed for control of the silver mine, but after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 (5th year of the Keicho era), the Tokugawa took control and the area flourished during the time of the magistrate Okubo Iwami no Kami Nagayasu, with the establishment of a magistrate's camp and the formation of a silver mine town. In the latter half of the 16th century, annual production was over several hundred kan, and in the Nagaya era, the Kamayamabu area in the main valley of the prospector Yasuhara Yorishige achieved an annual silver tax of 3,600 kan in 1602 and 1603. However, after the Kan'ei period (1624-1644) it gradually declined, and after the Kyoho period (1716-1736) it fell to around 100 kan per year, and from 1837 (Tenpo 8) to 1857 (Ansei 4) the cupellation silver yield dropped dramatically to an average of just over 42 kan. During the Edo period the silver mine was under the jurisdiction of the Omori magistrate's office, and from the 18th century onwards copper was also produced, with this silver and copper being sent to Osaka via Onomichi. It continued to operate after the Meiji period, and in 1887 (Meiji 20) it came into the possession of the Fujita Group of Osaka, and at one time produced 3,130 kan of copper, gold and silver per month, but was closed in 1923 (Taisho 12).

[Nao Murakami]

World Heritage Registration

In 2007, the remains of the silver mine, the mining town, the silver shipping port, and the roads connecting them were registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as the "Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Site and its Cultural Landscape" (World Cultural Heritage).

[Editorial Department]

"Studies on the Iwami Silver Mine" by Toshihisa Yamane (1974, Rinkawa Shoten) " "Studies on the History of Japanese Mines" by Jun Kobata (1968, Iwanami Shoten)

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Site (Kamayamabu)
The entrance to the mine is at the bottom left of the photo. Nationally designated historic site. Part of the World Cultural Heritage "Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Ruins and its Cultural Landscape" (registered in 2007). Oda City, Shimane Prefecture . © Shimane Tourism Federation .

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Site (Kamayamabu)

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Site (Shimizudani Smelter Site)
Nationally designated historic site Part of the World Cultural Heritage "Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Ruins and its Cultural Landscape" (registered in 2007) Oda City, Shimane Prefecture © Shimane Tourism Federation

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Site (Shimizudani Smelter Site)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

戦国期から江戸中期にかけての代表的銀山。石見国邇摩(にま)郡大森（島根県大田(おおだ)市大森町）にあり、近世の金銀山開発の先駆をなした。14世紀初めに発見されたと伝えられるが、16世紀前半から本格化し、1533年（天文2）神谷寿禎(かみやじゅてい)が博多(はかた)から吹大工(ふきだいく)（製錬工）を伴い、銀の製錬に成功した。以後、大内(おおうち)、小笠原(おがさわら)、尼子(あまご)、毛利(もうり)氏らの銀山争奪戦が反復されたが、1600年（慶長5）関ヶ原の戦い後は徳川氏が支配し、代官頭(だいかんがしら)大久保石見守長安(いわみのかみながやす)の奉行(ぶぎょう)時代に盛況となり、代官陣屋の設置と銀山町が形成された。16世紀後半には1か年で数百貫以上の産出があり、長安の時代には山師安原因繁(やすはらよりしげ)の本谷の釜屋間歩(かまやまぶ)は、1602、1603年ころには1か年の運上銀3600貫にも達した。しかし寛永(かんえい)年間（1624～1644）以降はしだいに衰退し、享保(きょうほう)期（1716～1736）以降には年間100貫前後となり、1837年（天保8）から1857年（安政4）灰吹銀(はいふきぎん)高は平均42貫余と激減した。江戸期の銀山の管轄は大森代官所で、18世紀以降は銅も産して、銀銅が尾道(おのみち)を経由して大坂へ送られた。明治以降にも稼行し、1887年（明治20）大阪の藤田組の所有となり、一時は銅、金、銀1か月3130貫を産出したが、1923年（大正12）に休山となった。

［村上　直］