Ikuno Ginzan is the silver mine in the middle Hyogo. Ginzan literally translates to “silver mountain”. Now it isn’t run but you can go inside the long tunnel and see many exhibits showing how to dig out rocks and purify the silver from them.
It’s good place to go in summer since inside the tunnel it’s 13 degrees C (55 degrees F ). You might shiver without long sleeve shirt. You would shiver not only its temperature but its dark history…. yes, they says that in Edo period or more older ages, they forced the criminal to work under those rough, poor and dangerous condition. I found a certain map that describe how long and deep they dag the mountain. It looks like an ant farm. How tough they were…they did all by man power. Of course, in the age of Meiji (in the 186o’s) it had been modernized by the French engineer and run by Mitsubishi company.(That was the one of the most biggest family-run conglomerates before the World War.)
Though it has somehow dark atmosphere, it was funny that all mannequins look westerners and Tatsu misunderstood foreigners were working there at that time!
I love that kind of misunderstanding of kids! I always become a little bit wicked and do not deny exactly and let him believe until he finds the truth by himself.
***heenai heenai *** 
Wow, very interesting. I think it’s cute that Tatsu thought they were foreigners. I can see why. 🙂
This reminds me of something similar in Vietnam. When I studied there many years ago, I visited the infamous Hoa Lo prison:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoa_Lo_Prison
This was a prison the French used to imprison Vietnamese rebels. Later the Vietnamese used it to imprison American soldiers (including John McCain who competed against Obama in the election). The prison was a museum now, and had mannequins that looked very similar, and had that same dark, cold feel to it.
Lots of suffering in the world, past and present. 😦
>including John McCain who competed against Obama in the election
へぇ～！！
>Lots of suffering in the world, past and present.
Yeah, I’m supposed to thank more for my easy life.
Yeah, I have photos from Hoa Lo prison, but I haven’t scanned them into image files, so I can’t put them on the web.
Yeah, I’m supposed to thank more for my easy life.
Gratitude and humility are two very good things to have in life. I learned that from Japanese culture and religion actually. 😉
It makes me think of Mammoth Cave near to us… Andrew and I visited a few years ago. It’s the longest cave system known in the world.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=Mammoth+cave+photos&btnG=Search+images&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
There was no forced labor, but people were brought there to be frighten into a religious revival and tuberculous patients lived inside the caves. Some doctor thought the air inside the cave would cure them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Cave_System
It must be the torture for me to stay in the cave if I had had a tuberculous. I have a little bit claustrophobia. I found that while I joined the scuba diving tour to pass through the cave under the sea. I was almost panicking, and close to the death!!
I’m fearful of heights, but I had to go rappelling several times during my time in ROTC. I’m thankful now that I didn’t do full army service!
I know its too early to quit, but I think I’m quitting “エイドリアンのパスポート”. My writing is too poor, and I have the energy for writing one blog! However, I want to reserve that URL for later. Especially if I start living overseas. Hehehehe…. It was a good idea!
An evil mother!
でも多分私も同じ事すると思います。子供にとってはあまりにも紛らわしい場所ですね（笑）。
でしょう？
説明すると長くなりそうだし、そもそもなんでマネキンが西洋人なのか？というのが私にもわからないので ^^;
Both of you are evil to think its funny! (OK, I thinks it’s funny as well….) ^_^
Ahh, I have been in a similar cave when I visited Tohoku a few years ago. I remember the air was so damp! Kind of gross haha.
The mannequins are hilarious, by the way. There is a shopping arcade near my house showing yukata for the summer and some of the mannequins look quite similar actually! （笑）
In Shouwa era, the mannequins in western looking were very common in every shopping arcade or departmente stores! They might think the clothes looked better. They are なつかしい for me. Those bring back memories. However, when they wear kimono, it’s so weird and funny!!
I like to see Western mannequins in shops because I can look at it and think, “Oh, I can wear that outfit! I will look good on me!” It’s very convenient!
I worry about sizes myself. My shoe size is 31 in Japan, which makes it very hard to find shoes. Even here in Ireland, it’s hard.
Brilliant photo’s …