Regardless of the country, it’s not too difficult to go to the place in the country where they farmed the most “this” or collected the most “that,” but it’s hard to find a place where they collected the most of this one material on a global scale. In this case, the material in question is silver. Unlike much of western society which coveted gold as the most prized metal, in East Asia, silver held a far more desired position. Why? It was a rarer metal and because its luster tarnished over time, having clean silver spoke to your wealth and power to keep it in a presentable state. This isn’t to suggest that gold was viewed as some cheap commodity, but between the two, silver was more valuable. The Ikuno Ginzan, or Ikuno Silver Mine, is in north central Hyogo Prefecture in the city area of Asago. The mines were first opened in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573 C.E.) and were closed in the Showa Period (1926-1989 C.E.) and in the course of that time, it has been said that they extracted approximately one third of the world’s silver now circulating through our society.

For visitors: 7.

The remoteness of the mines makes this location very difficult to get to without a car. However, if you can procure a motor vehicle, the drive into the mountains is beautiful. Small towns fill whatever space they can find in the steep valleys, and the change from the bustling city is a fun and welcome endeavor.

The mine itself is a fun and often silly experience. Outside the main mine entrance is a small museum with court records, layouts, and inventory records documenting the mine’s contributions throughout the years. Unfortunately, as of my previous visit, the information is only in Japanese, but they are working at expanding language options as they seek to make the mines a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Models and diagrams are there to visually describe what the mine was able to accomplish in its long history, so you should still be able to understand the general ideas behind the graphics. This is where the fun begins. The staff at the mine have a wonderful sense of humor and will adjust the appearances of the models and diagrams to match any and all upcoming holidays. When I was there, it was early October so all the little miners had pumpkin masks, silly outfits, and ghostly appearances. But the fun doesn’t stop there, oh no.

Entering the mines is a descent into a refrigerator with the mines averaging around fourteen degrees Celsius (fifty six degrees Fahrenheit). Inside, the ceilings are low and often wet with spring water finding holes and seems between the rocks. Keep your eyes open for the signs that mark the path through the labyrinth of tunnels as well as markers indicating pick marks from various periods of past mining. But I promised that it gets more fun and I will make good on my promise, or rather, the Ginzan Boyz will. Oh the Ginzan Boyz are by far one of the greatest things ever created. Are they tour guides? No. Staff members? No. Mining equipment? No. They are mannequins. To be more specific, they are super-male-fashion-model-esk mannequins re-enacting mining techniques. Just like the models in the museum outside, the Ginzan Boyz are the festive types and they love dressing up for the varying occasions. But it gets better! Each Ginzan Boy has their own name and personality description which you can read about in the mine pamphlets as well as on their merchandise. That’s what I said, their merchandise. You see, the Ginzan Boyz don’t just spend all of their time being fashionable and mining, they are also an accomplished idol group! Simply Google Ginzan Boyz and enjoy everything that they have to offer. Go for the mines, stay for the shear fun of it all. Finding each mannequin and seeing what they’re doing and what they’re wearing is way more fun than you expect it to be.

Gift shop and museum on the left with the mine entrance just ahead beyond the gates.

I don't know what’s better: the wig, the sparkle boas, or his crazy long arm.