Silver Heritage

Ikuno is located at the centre of Hyogo prefecture linking Tajima and Harima. The town includes the headstream of Maruyama River drifting to the Sea of Japan and Ichikawa River drifting to the Seto Inland Sea. In turn, it is the watershed of the north and the south of Hyogo prefecture. Additionally, as the legend goes, the opening of Ikuno silver mine was in the 2nd year of the Daido era (807). Furthermore, a magistrate's office was placed in Ikuno during the Edo era. Accordingly, the silver mine has been supporting the town's prosperity since a long time ago.

In March 2014, "the cultural landscape of Ikuno mine and its town" was chosen as the nationally crucial cultural landscape for the first time as a mining town in Japan. The landscape of Ikuno includes many traditional houses of the early local officials, various Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, and the heritage of industrial modernization. As such, the town's value has been recognized for the past 400 years.

Besides mining, Ikuno retains rich nature with beautiful scenery of Uogataki waterfall, Dangamine Mountain, and Kurokawa Valley, where the giant salamanders inhabit. Also, there are campsites and Kurokawa hot spring (onsen) where one can experience the beautiful nature of Ikuno.

Over 1200 years of industrial history

Half-day experience in the morning or afternoon with a 1-night stay.

As you cycle through the town of Ikuno, you"ll experience a mining town with more than 1200 years of history. Take a moment and walk along the tracks of the mine carts that carried the ore at the time and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the rivers, shrines and nature. Learn how French engineers were involved in the development of the industrialization of the mining town and the first step towards the modernization of Japan.

Feel the heartbeat of the town's old industry when entering its former Silver Mine. Take a tour of the mining staff's company housing in the Meiji era and experience a touch of life from back then. Besides mining history, you'll be pleasantly surprised by what else Ikuno has to offer.

Stay the night in one of the oldest remaining official residence and company housing in Japan. Situated within the historic silver mining town of Ikuno has been designated as a nationally important cultural landscape. These "Koushataku" houses were built by the Mitsubishi Corporation around 1876 and are now designated cultural properties of Asago City. In such a historic building, you can experience accommodation while thinking about the life of the past.

For afternoon guests, after settling into the guesthouse, we take you to dinner for a delicious local meal. Guests starting this tour in the morning after their night stay will be treated to an uplifting locally prepared breakfast.

The cycling component of this tour is led by locally trained guides from Asago Cycling who is a main cycling tour operator in Asago City with accommodation managed by Airbnb super host guesthouse Ikuno Stay.

Included in this experience