Industrial Heritage
Tomioka, in southwestern Gunma Prefecture, is home to the Tomioka Silk Mill, Japan's first modern silk factory, established in 1872 during the Meiji Period. The mill revolutionized Japan's silk industry, becoming a model for modernization and boosting silk exports with its high-quality production, helping drive Japan's economic growth. As part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the well-preserved mill is central to four silk-related locations in Gunma, including the Tajima Yahei Sericulture Farm, Arafune Cold Storage, and Takayama-sha Sericulture School, all of which highlight innovations in silk production and sericulture. The city is also home to the fantastic Gunma Museum of Natural History, an excellent place to spend an afternoon with the kids to learn about dinosaurs.
