About Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites

The dream of modern Japan spun into silk thread, Tomioka Silk Mill and Silk Industrial Heritage Sites

The Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites is a group of Japanese industrial heritage sites located in Gunma Prefecture that was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2014. This heritage site is an important symbol of the development of the silk industry as Japan modernized during the Meiji era. Tomioka Silk Mill, founded in 1872, was Japan's first full-scale mechanical silk mill, and is a historical site that laid the industrial foundation for modern Japan.

What makes Tomioka Silk Mill unique as a tourist attraction is its historical value and well-preserved condition. The red-brick cocoon warehouses and wooden-brick factory buildings on the site have maintained their original appearance, and visitors can feel the atmosphere of a factory in the Meiji era. Visitors can also deepen their understanding of the history and technology of the silk industry through exhibitions and guided tours that allow them to learn about the process of silk spinning.

The first thing we recommend is a visit to the Tomioka Silk Mill. By touring the main buildings on the site, including the Nishi Oki Cocoon Factory, the East Cocoon Warehouse, and the Silk Reeling Factory, visitors can experience the whole picture of the silk mill. In particular, the Nishi-Oki Cocoonery is one of the main buildings registered as a World Heritage Site, and its scale and state of preservation are breathtaking. At the silk reeling factory, visitors can see the actual reeling machines and reproductions of working scenes to gain a concrete understanding of the silk reeling process.

The surrounding silk industry heritage sites are also worth visiting. For example, the “Ruins of Takayama Shrine” was the site of an innovation in sericultural technology, the research results of which influenced the world. Also not to be missed are the “Former Residence of Yahei Tajima” and “Arafune Wind Cave. Each of these sites is an important legacy that contributed to the development of the silk industry, and visiting them will give you a deeper understanding of the overall picture of the silk industry.

Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites is a valuable tourist attraction that tells the history of Japan's modernization and industrial development. Its historical value and many attractions make it a memorable experience for visitors.