Introduction of Material

One of the four mines at Iwamiginzan contained rolled, drawn pictures of the mine and refinery. Rolled pictures are a traditional art from in Japan. These pictures depict a scene in a working mine.

The pictures consist of two parts and are 24 meters in length. It is not Known who drew the pictures or when. However, it is known that the technical refining method, Ishi-dome, is depicted in the pictures. This method was used after the Bunsei period (1818-1829). Therefore, we can assume the pictures were drawn after that date.

It is also not clearly known why the Iwamiginzan pictures drawn. In the case of the Sado mine, it is thought that a magistrate may have used drawings as reports or presents for when he returned to Edo. The Iwamiginzan pictures are very similar purpose.

The draft for the Iwamiginzan pictures, owned by Toshiharu Ueno, helps explain when the other three rolled pictures were drawn. One of these three pictures, the Ginzan-Kahou rolled picture (owned by Toshiro Nakamura) stands out. The others were drawn with Indian-ink only, while the Ginzan-kahou was generally, however, the four rolled pictures of Iwamiginzan do not vary greatly in terms of construction. As a result, only one standard of rolled pictures existed in Iwami.