For Daimyo Smugglers; It All Started with Silver (3)

     In 1533 at last, refining silver became possible around Iwami Silver Mine.  Keiju, or Geongjang if he was a Korean, was brought to the mine from Hakata on August the 15th.  He introduced cupellation, which enabled bulk production of silver.

     Once cupellation was introduced into Japan, it quickly spread to other silver mines in the country.  As early as in August of 1542, silver ores were first dug on the south slope of Mt. Shiro-yama in Ikuno, Tajima Province, which later became one of the most well-known silver mines in Japan.  Mine workers and engineers arrived at Ikuno from Iwami Silver Mine, and a gallery was opened.

     At the time, merchants managed silver mines, and daimyos and local samurais put taxes on the management.  Thus, silver was, in one sense, shared between merchants and samurais.  In 1530’s and 40’s, silver used not to be used as domestic currency at first then, and rather flew out abroad in exchange for foreign products.