Pavel Sindlar



Gunma Prefecture
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•Called “Land of Silk”
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•A group of objects and technological equipment related to the production of silk is being in state
of preparation for inscribtion on the UNESCO World Heritage List
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           World Heritage in Japan
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•Currently 16 sites (12 cultural and 4 natural)
•Further 12 sites on the Tentative list
•Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage is one of them •Japanese gevornment plans to
request the inscription in 2014
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The Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage
•(富岡製糸場と絹産業遺産群)
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•Group of sites that relate to the industrialization in the Meiji period (1868 – 1912)
•Part of the Industrial Heritage in Japan
•Tomioka Silk Mill was constructed in 1872 (continued operating until 1987)
•10 locations with functional objects and related sites, presenting every part of the production
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Historical Context
•Japan in the 18th and early 19th century was a country without natural resources and not engaged
in international trade
•Opportunity at the time when world silk powers struck in increasing silkworm epidemy called
„pébrine“
•The onset of pébrine coincided with the opening of Japan to western trade
•Problem - lack of quality control
•Necessary to improve the quality to ensure the increase in production.

Sericulture
•Sericulture was a major industry in Japan from the eighth century
•It spread all over the country from Nara, which as the nation's ancient capital was the end of the
Silk Road from mainland Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
•Beggining of Meiji Period - raw silk was Japan's No. 1 export product
•At the beginning of the 20th century Japanese export made ​​from silk luxury goods, goods of mass
production and use
•Japan dominated the export of raw silk until 1950
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Tomioka Silk Mill, Industrial Heritage  & Sericulture in Japan
•The most important industrial heritage of Japanese sericulture is the Tomioka Silk Mill  which
became leading centre for sericulture, the rearing of silkworms and production of raw silk.
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•Combines patterns of French technology and Japanese way of constructionbuilding - Wooden
supportive structure with brick walls and ceramic roof tiles.
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Tomioka Silk Mill
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•Universal Value – contribution to mass production and develoment of world`s silk industry
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•The Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage are also symbols of Japan´s industrial
revolution
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