The Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage

World Heritage Registration Promotion Office

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| Description | Other Silk Industrial Heritage |

| The Tomioka Silk Mill | The Great Mulberry of Usune | Arafune Fuketsu | Tochikubo Fuketsu | The Birthplace of Takayama-sha | The Tomizawa house | Group of silk-raising farmhouses in the Akaiwa District | Old-Kanrasha Obata-kumi warehouse | Old Usui Pass Railroad Infrastructure | Old Kouzuke Railway Related Facility |

The Tomioka Silk Mill

The Tomioka Silk Mill was established as a model silk mill by the Meiji Government in 1872 to improve the quality of raw silk, one of the Japan’s main exports. Under the instruction of the French silk expert Paul Brunat, the latest technology for architecture and silk manufacturing were incorporated. The feature of the mill’s architecture is the integration of the techniques from Japan and France; use of Japanese roof tiles, wood-framed building with brick walls, for example.
Female factory workers gathered from across the nation learned the modern silk filature method here. They were expected to become instructors when the local silk mills were built in their hometowns. As a result, factory-based mass-production techniques for raw silk spread throughout Japan.
After its privatization in 1893, it had been used as a silk reeling mill until the mill was shut down in 1987. Most of the buildings retain their original structural integrity. The machinery, offices, and houses at the time of the shutdown have also been completely preserved.
( A national historic site and important cultural property )

Location

Visitor Information

Guided Tour

*In order to preserve the building and to ensure the safety of visitors, certain areas are not accessible when not accompanied by a tour-guide

• Hours of Operation : 9:00am - 5:00pm (reception closes at 4:30pm) Tours include approximately one hour of commentary.
• Charges : Adult 500yen, High School/University Students 250yen, Elementary/Junior high Students 150yen
• Closed : December 29-31. (However, the Mill may be temporarily closed for inspection or maintenance and so forth.)
• Access :
  (By railway)At Takasaki Station(JR-line), change to Joshin Railway (40 minutes) and exit from Johshu-Tomioka Station and walk for 10 minutes.
  (By car)Take Joshinetsu Road and exit at Tomioka I.C. It will be 5-minute drive to the site.

*Tomioka Silk Mill does not permit the entry of motor vehicles, please utilize specified car park (incurs charge).

Please visit “Tomioka Silk Mill World Heritage Promotion Homepage” to see more detailed information.
http://www2.city.tomioka.lg.jp/worldheritage/en/index.html
Guided tour
http://www2.city.tomioka.lg.jp/worldheritage/en/visit/index.htm
Access
http://www2.city.tomioka.lg.jp/worldheritage/en/access/index.htm

Location : 1-1 Tomioka-shi,Tomioka

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