The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in the western part of Shimane Prefecture was registered as a World Heritage Site for the first time in Asia as a mining site in 2007. A silver vein was discovered in the 16th century during the Sengoku period, or the age of civil war, and since then, developed by warlords seeking silver. It is said that there were more than 30,000 workers at its golden age and produced one-third of the world’s silver. 島根県の西部にある石見銀山は２００７年に鉱山遺跡としてアジアで初めて世界遺産に登録されました。戦国時代の１６世紀に銀の鉱脈が発見され、それ以来、銀を求める戦国大名によって発展してきました。最盛期には３万人以上の労働者が働き、世界の３分の１の銀を産出していたといわれています。