During my trip to Tohoku (田老鉱山), the Taro Mine was our last mission. After following a muddy road through the mountains, doubtful that it actually was the right way, we found the mine. We first got surprised as there were modern cars parked around. These grounds became property of the Meisei University and they use this area for Cosmic Ray observation.

The building for the mine is grand, huge, full of green. It looked like an ancient ruin taken over by the weeds. Although impressive for the eye, it was not an easy spot at all for photo-shooting; the contrasts and colors were really complex and tricky.

Around the building we found many points of interest such as a very dark tunnel, an old dusty meeting room, residential buildings, a shrine and even a theatre hall with its old movie projector.

Taro Mine is one of the favorite mine of haikyoists and most of them visited it. And undoubtedly, this haikyo is a great one. The Taro Mine was abandoned in 1979.

FACTS

• 1919 – 1979
• Nippon No Haikyo #21