The Sorachi Coal Mine Memory Management Center is located right in front of JR Iwamizawa Station. It is a place that provides information on coal mine heritage, mainly in the Sorachi region, and various other information about the region. By the way, "coal mine" is pronounced "yama."

It's conveniently located so you can just drop in while waiting for the train, and it's easy to find as it's a very quaint stone building built in 1927. If you look closely, you'll notice that the window frames are a little different from modern ones, and even just looking at the exterior is interesting!

Once inside, you'll find a wide space filled with various items, including goods, books, and documents.

The Sorachi coal mining region experienced its peak and decline in just 100 years. Many tangible and intangible "coal mining memories" remain there even today. This center also serves as a concierge, connecting those coal mining memories with people from inside and outside the region.

The museum also stocks pamphlets for tourist facilities from various local governments, as well as original printed materials and handouts related to coal mining. Many books have been donated by the public, and anyone can freely browse valuable materials that cannot be found in bookstores.

One of the great features of this center is that you can see actual items such as charging stations that were once used at coal mine sites, allowing you to experience history up close. They also hold events where you can actually visit the old coal mine sites, so if you're interested, be sure to check out their official website.

If you go further in, you will come to the stone storehouse attached to the office. This storehouse, made of Sapporo soft stone, was built in 1909! It is now used for exhibitions related to coal mining and as a space for events such as concerts.

Incidentally, the Sorachi Coal Mine Memory Management Center was opened in 2009. It was made possible by the NPO Coal Mine Memory Promotion Foundation, which was formed two years earlier.

Not only in Sorachi, but throughout Hokkaido, coal mine memories are still very much alive. The Coal Mine Memory Promotion Foundation is expanding its efforts from "points to surfaces" to connect the past and the future, the outside and the inside. The Sorachi Coal Mine Memory Management Center is an important base for these activities, and it is likely to continue to attract more and more attention in the future!

<Sorachi Coal Mine Memory Management Center> Address: 1-jo Nishi 4-chome 3, Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido Contact: 0126-24-9901 Official site: http://www.mc.soratan.com/

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