Wadō Archaeological Site () refers to the preserved remains of Japan’s earliest known copper mine, located in

Chichibu is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,159 in 26,380 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Geography Chichibu is in the westernmost part of Saitama. Unlik ...

Saitama Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (January 1, 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 Square kilometre, km2 ( ...

. The site is famous for the 708 CE discovery of native copper, which prompted the issuance of Japan’s first official coin, the

Wadōkaichin , also romanized as ''Wadō-kaichin'' or called ''Wadō-kaihō'', is the oldest official Japanese currency, Japanese coinage, first mentioned for 29 August 708 on order of Empress Genmei. It was long considered to be the first type of coin prod ...

(和同開珎), and the start of the Wadō era.

History

In 708, copper ore was discovered in the region then known as

Musashi Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Kawasaki and Yokohama. ...

. The finding was reported to Empress Genmei, who celebrated the discovery by naming the era “ Wadō” (和銅, “Japanese copper”) and commissioning the minting of Japan's first state-sanctioned coin, the

. The copper mined at Wado became a symbol of national prosperity and marked the beginning of a centralized monetary economy in Japan. Mining activity continued intermittently through the Nara and Edo periods and ceased entirely by the late 20th century.

Archaeological Features

The Wado Archaeological Site includes remains of copper mining operations such as shafts, slag deposits, stone markers, and smelting traces. Interpretive signs and monuments have been installed, and nearby shrines and museums commemorate the site’s historical and cultural value. A large replica of the Wadōkaichin coin stands near the site, and the adjacent Wadō Park offers educational exhibits and nature trails.

Designation

The site is recognized as a historic cultural property by Saitama Prefecture and is preserved as an educational and heritage tourism location. It features prominently in local history education and is a pilgrimage site for those interested in Japanese coinage and early mining history.

Legacy

The name “Wadō” survives in regional place names and historical commemorations. The coin that originated here remains one of Japan’s most iconic artifacts, and replicas are used in talismans for wealth and prosperity.Japan Mint Bureau. "History of Japanese Coins.

https://www.mint.go.jp)

Gallery

File:Wado-CopperMineSite-WadōkaichinMonument-WithMineArea.jpg, Wadōkaichin Coin Monument with Mine Area File:Wado-CopperMineSite.jpg, Copper Mine Site File:Wado Copper Mine Archaeological Site - Descriptive Sign.jpg, Copper Mine Site Descriptive Sign File:Wado-CopperMineSite-DescriptiveSignWithMap.jpg, Descriptive Sign With Map File:Wado-CopperMineSite-DescriptiveSignWithPhoto.jpg, Descriptive Sign With Photo File:Wado-HijiriJinjaShrineBuilding.jpg, Hijiri Jinja Shrine File:Wado-HijiriJinjaShrine-WadōkaichinWithSign.jpg, Wadōkaichin with Descriptive Sign

References