Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine site
created by a volcano
The volcano that created Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
Mt. Oetakayama volcano
In springtime, Mt. Oetakayama (808 m) becomes home to many Gifu butterflies (Japanese luehdorfia) that flit about among the flowers, including many rare flowering mountain grasses such as Misumisou (Hepatica) and Izumokobaimo (Fritillaria ayakoana), and this sight attracts many climbers to the mountain. The north side of this mountain range is lined with steep peaks, forming an eye-catching group of mountains within the gently sloping terrain known as the Iwami Highland. These mountains were formed by repeated volcanic activity occurring from about 2 million years ago to about 600,000 years ago, and are collectively known as Mt. Oetakayama volcano. The area has a cluster of more than 30 lava domes, formed by thick lava, but only Mt. Sennoyama (537 m) is a “volcaniclastic mound” formed by the precipitation of volcanic ash and lapilli. The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine is located at one corner of the peaks, and castles were built at Mt. Yatakijozan and Mae Yataki to guard the silver mine.
- 1Iwami Highland
- In the Chugoku Mountain range, there are several steps of plateau-like landforms that appear flat from a distance. In the central and eastern parts of Shimane Prefecture, a flat area at an altitude of 200 to 300 meters is recognized as the Iwami Highland.
