A thirty-minute drive from the Akita Dog Visitor Center in Odate to the Historic Site Osarizawa Mine. One of my students told me about this place it peaked my interest and since we decided not to drive down to Akita City for the Craft Beer Festival, we decided to check out the mine.
秋田県大館の秋田犬の里から車で３０分はして、次の目的地に着きました。秋田市で開催してるクラフトビールフェスを諦めて、目指したのは尾去沢鉱山。うちの生徒がこの場所を話したことで気になって、行ってみたくなりました。
This building appears to be an old amusement area for kids. It seems to have been closed for quite a while. My mother-in-law did tell me that this used to be a very popular amusement spot for families.
この建物が子供が遊ぶ場所だったみたい。義理の母の話に夜と昔、この場所は結構人気があって、家族で来るような場所でした。
There are all sorts of vehicles displayed outside that were probably once used in the mine.
鉱山の外側に多分使われた乗り物がいろいろ展示されてた。
Explanation of the above vehicle. It is a 10 ton diesel locomotice.
Well, you can tell the place is not as popular as it once was.
ま、見れば分かる、昔ほどは栄えてない。
A wreck drill / レックドリル
An explanation of the loader (pictured above).
Heading towards the actual mine.
鉱山に向かってます。
Well, this is interesting. I will only write what it says in English on the sign.
In Memory of WWII POWs
During World War II, military personnel of the Allied Forces captured by the Japanese military were forced to work in mines and factories throughout Japan. These included the Osarizawa (Hanawa) Branch of the Sendai POW Camp that was under the control of the Japanese military and located at this site. In all, 545 POWs (494 Americans, 50 British, and 1 Australian) were held at the camp at the end of the war; 8 POWs died in captivity.
Working conditions for the POWs were exceedingly harsh and left deep mental and physical wounds that the lapse of time would not heal.
POWs were subjected to similar conditions in the mines of Hosokura (Miyagi Prefecture), Ikuno (Hyogo Prefecture), and Akenobe (Hyogo Prefecture), which were also operated by the former Mitsubishi Mining Company.
Reflecting on these past tragic events with the deepest sense of remorse, Mitsubishi Materials offes its heartfelt apologies to all former POWs who were forced to work under appalling conditions in the mines of the former Mitsubishi Mining Company, and reaffirms its unswerving resolve to contribute to the creation of a world in which fundamental human rights and justice are fully guaranteed.
At the entrance to the mine.
鉱山の入り口。
My mother-in-law told me in the past, you could take a tram tour of the mines. Now, it is a walking only tour.
義理の母から聞いた話で、昔は鉱山のトラムに乗ってのツアーがあった。今なら歩きのみのツアーとなった。
The sign shows the date we went to the mine.
サインに行った日付がちゃんと書いてある。
Here we go!
さ、鉱山のツアーが始まるぞ！
The start of the tour.
最初に歩く道。
Well, you certainly don't want rocks falling on your head.
ま、落石には当たりたくないもんな。
Pointing to the copper vein.
銅鉱脈に指を差してる。
That's my mother-in-law up ahead.
前にいるのは義理の母。
Check it out. A shrine in the mine!
鉱山の中に小さな神社がある！
The mine also serves as a natural wine cellar.
鉱山が自然のワインセラーにもなってる。
Oh, my wife bought a fortune. You then put it back in the capsule it came from and drop it down this shoot.
おう、妻がおみくじを買って、読んだあと、入れ物に戻し、ここに落とすことになってる。
The tour continues...
ツアーが続く。。。
There were bats flying around and I think my mother-in-law wanted to turn back. But as the entrance fee was \1000 per person, I said we should continue on. I'm so glad we did too, because the tour became even more interesting.
こうもりが結構飛んでてので、義理の母がこのまま引き返すかと提案。ですが、入場料は一人１０００円なので、前に進むしかないと僕は行った。その判断は正解でした。ツアーがもっと面白くなる。
Whoa! People!! Well, not real people but life-size figures!
うわ～！人が居る！！ま、本当の人間ではないが、等身大の人形がいっぱい居る。
The miner's rest area
鉱山に働く人たちの休憩所。
Break time.
休憩の時間。
Yep, we're still in the mine.
はい、まだ鉱山の中に居る。
You'll be fascinated to know that before mining for copper, during the Edo era, the samurai were mining for gold, but that will be for part 2.
銅を採掘する前に江戸時代で金を採掘してた。でもそれはパート２に紹介します。
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