4 Fascinating places to experience Modern Industrial Japan!
What makes modern industrial Japan so interesting?
Until 170 years ago, Japan was a closed nation, and it was still in the era of the Samurai. However, since opening up trade with the West, she fiercely tried to catch up with them. This motivated many modern industrial industries to grow and innovate. This left many interesting sites which visitors can now enjoy.
When visiting Japan, we encourage you to visit at least one of these sites to get a taste of how Japan evolved into what it is known for today.
1 ) The mysterious underground space of Oya mines
1 hour 45mins from Tokyo
⛏️ Delve Down 100 feet beneath the ground to the Mysterious Underground space!
Come and visit the home of Oya stone, a world-rare stone that can only be ⛏️mined in Oya! Don’t know much about the stone? The🏚️ Oya History Museum offers an informative introduction to Oya stone’s ⚙️history and transition.
Here comes the real 🌟 surprise — You can walk around the massive underground cavern located 30 meters (100 feet) beneath the museum, which was an operational mine until 1986 and played an important role in the construction of storage houses in the early 20th century. Overseas architects including Frank Lloyd Wright (wiki) also used Oya stone to design his buildings.
Covering a total area of more than 20,000 square meters, the underground quarry is truly a ✨mind-blowing site to 👣 wander through. Parts of the giant walls and 🏛️ chambers are illuminated into different colors, bringing its visitors into a 🔮 mysterious dream-like world far from reality.
⛏️Come and enjoy a day of one-of-a-kind 👀 exploration!
Oya History Museum
Between April-Nov
9:00-16:30
Between Dec-March
9:30-16:00
(If Tuesday is a national holiday the following day is closed instead)
Also closed 26th Dec-1st Jan
*Please call to make sure Oya History Museum is closed a few times a year for maintenance.
1-2 hours
Tobu Utsunomiya Station (Tobu Utsunomiya Line) & JR Utsunomiya Station(JR Line, Shinkansen).
+81 028-652-1232
(Oya History Museum)
Address
909 Oya-machi, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Pref. 321-0345 Japan
Oya heiwa kannon
Between April-Nov
9:00-16:30
Between Dec-March
9:30-16:00
(If Tuesday is a national holiday the following day is closed instead)
Also closed 26th Dec-1st Jan
*Please call to make sure Oya History Museum is closed a few times a year for maintenance.
1-2 hours
Tobu Utsunomiya Station (Tobu Utsunomiya Line) & JR Utsunomiya Station(JR Line, Shinkansen).
Oyaji Temple
I believe the stone buddha is free to see anytime during the day
Free
30-45 min (If you want to climb to the top (30 m)
1 hours 45 min
Tobu Utsunomiya Station (Tobu Utsunomiya Line) & JR Utsunomiya Station(JR Line, Shinkansen).
Take the [45] bus from JR Utsunomiya Sta. or from Tobu Ekimae (3 min walk from Tobu Utsunomiya Station) and get off at Tateiwa bus stop
(Approx. 20-25min)
+81 028-652-1232
(Oya History Museum)
Address
1198 Oya-machi, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Pref. 321-0345 Japan
This information was correct at the time of publishing, but please check with the attractions and/or the tourist board before traveling.
Other operators in Nikko
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2 ) Visit the largest copper mine in Japan - Ashio Copper Mine
3 hours 15mins from Tokyo
📣Hi-ho! Hi-ho! To the copper mine we go ⛏
🚂Enjoy a ride through the winding tunnels of Ashio Copper Mine in a real mine cart! Feel the carriage sway underneath you as you advance toward the 🕯bright lights illuminating the passageway.
With a 400 year history, you will witness the life of medieval miners and marvel at the ingenious technology of 🏯Edo Japan. Walking through 700 meters of ✨glistening passages, you will be taken back in time by life-size reconstructions, sounds of miners, and the purr of machinery. Then, 👣step into the exhibition room, where you will see the transformation of ore into brilliant copper❗️ 😲😲
Ashio Copper Mine
Open every day
9：00～16：30
[Children] 410 yen
Tour durations
Plan 1 — 40 min
Plan 2 — 80 min
Plan 3 — 50 min
Plan 4 — 90 min
Plan 5 — 120 min
3 hours 30 min
(If you are in Nikko it is 50 min by bus)
From Asakusa Station take the Express train to Akagi (Tobu Line) get off at Aioi Station (1h 50min). From Aioi station take the Watarase Keikoku Tetsudo (Watarase valley Railway) and get off at Tsudo Station (1h 10 min). *Watarase Keikoku Tetsudo is famous for seeing the beautiful autumn leaves (Read here)
5min walk from Tsudo Station.
+81-288-93-3240 (Ashio Copper Mine)
Address
9-2 Tsudo, Ashiomachitsudo, Nikko City, Tochigi Pref. 321-1514 Japan
Utsunomiya Destination Page
This information was correct at the time of publishing, but please check with the attractions and/or the tourist board before traveling.
Other operators in Nikko
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3 ) Re-Discover your childhood at The Railway Museum
45mins from Tokyo
📢Attention all 🚂Railway Fanatics! Deepen your Love and Knowledge on 🚃Railways at the 🚉Railway Museum!
Come visit the 🚃Railway Museum in Onari, Saitama City, a wonderful space to ✨celebrate the history and development of railways in Japan and abroad. Built as part of the ⭐JR East 20th Anniversary Memorial Project, the museum has a 🚂“History Zone” that displays carriages and parts of historic vehicles, including early 🚅shinkansens (bullet-trains) and diesel locomotives!
👀Don’t miss the world’s only 📷steam locomotive simulator to the left of the main entrance! The museum is also family-friendly and teaches ⭐children about 🚂railway systems and technologies through their displays and simulations. When you get hungry, be sure to try out the 🚉railway-themed restaurants!
The Railway Museum
10：00～17：30
and End & beginning of the year
[Children] 620 yen
3 hours
45 min
Take the following JR lines to Omiya station.
- Shinkansen (one stop after Ueno)
- Saikyo Line
- Shonan Shinjyuku Line
- Utsunomiya Line
- Takasaki Line
From Omiya Station take the ‘New Shuttle’ Train to ‘Tetsudo Hakubutsukan’ Station (one stop, 2 min)
Tetsudo Hakubutsukan Station (鉄道博物館駅)
New Shuttle Line (Saitama Shin Toshi Kōtsū)
One stop, 2 min from JR Omiya Station.
1min walk from Tetsudo Hakubutsukan Station.
048-651-0088 (10:00-18:00)
Utsunomiya Destination Page
This information was correct at the time of publishing, but please check with the attractions and/or the tourist board before traveling.
Other operators in Nikko
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4 ) Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC)
1hour 20mins from Tokyo
🚀Three, Two, One… BLAST OFF! 🌠Visit One of the Coolest ✨Space Centers in Japan!
Don’t miss out on an incredible opportunity to visit 🚀Tsukuba Space Center, a world-class space center in Tsukuba Science City! This is where 🌠JAXA, the Japanese national aerospace and space agency train their astronauts and conduct ⭐research and 🚀space development.
✨The coolest part is that you get to 👀see a glimpse of the facilities! Through the tours that the center offers, you will get to see ⭐“Kibo,” the Japanese Experiment Module for the International Space Stations, as well as the 🚀astronaut training facility to learn about the astronauts’ ✨cool jobs!
Tsukuba Space Cetner
9:30-16:30
[Closed days]End & begining of the year Maintenance days *Please contact Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) before traveling
[Tours (Japanese)]11:30 / 15:30 (Max 40 people)
Call to reserve a tour 029-868-2023
Free
*Tours in Japanese cost 500 yen for an Adult
3 hours
1 hour 20 min
Take the Express Bus (Tsukuba Go) from Tokyo Station (Yaesu South Exit) and get off at Namiki Ichome (並木一丁目）bus stop.
[Train 1hour 20min]Take the Tsukuba Express train from Akihabara Station to Tsukuba Station. (take a bus from the station to the space center 10min)
Tsukuba Station
(Tsukuba Express Line)
Take a bus towards ‘Arakawa Oki iki’ and get off at ‘Busshitsu Zairyou Kenkyu Kikou’ Bus stop and walk 1 min
(If you have difficulty ask at Tsukuba Station)
Tel: 029-868-2023
Address
2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Pref. 305-8505 Japan
Utsunomiya Destination Page
This information was correct at the time of publishing, but please check with the attractions and/or the tourist board before traveling.
Other operators in Nikko
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Map of 4 museums where you can experience Modern Industrial Japan
Looking for more Culture and Historical experiences near Tokyo?
Discover all the Culture & History experiences near Tokyo here.
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Our Team
We write these articles
Angus Miyaji
‘Woody’ Shu Yokoyama
Kayo Hirai
