Mount Oppu

What it is

• A 1,083-meter mountain peak located within the Shirakami-Sanchi mountain range.
• The site of a former silver and copper mine that operated until the Showa period.
• A designated Prefectural Natural Environment Conservation Area with Ainu linguistic origins.
• A geological formation composed of tuff with andesite intrusions.

What to see

• Coniferous forests of northern hemlock growing near the mountain summit.
• A stone monument dedicated to monkeys located near the peak.
• The site where globally recognized rhodochrosite minerals were once produced.
• The northern foot where the historic Oppu Mine buildings once stood.

When to go

• Visitors must obtain climbing permission from the mine management office before arrival.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.