Although Ashio is a small town, there are many old Shinto shrines and temples.
The Iwasaku Shinto Shrine, built in 808, is a village shrine in the Tojimo area which was used as a mountain entrance.
In 1889, a Copper Mine Shrine was built at the highest point in Honzen to worship God to protect the mines. Another Copper
mine Shrine which is now located near the Dozan Kanko Museum, was built in 1920. these shrines are also called Mountain Shrines. Every spring they held a joint festival which was said to be the best festival in the Kanko Area.That spring festival now become the"Ashio Festival"
The temples of Ashio include the Ryuzoji Temple, the Hozenji Temple, the Sennenji Temple and so on. At the Ryuzoji Temple,there is the Tower for the Unfortunate, built for the ancestors of the Matsuki Village which was evacuated due to damages by smoke pollutions. Also at the Ryuzoiji Temple there are graves for many miners who dedicated their lives to the Mines. In the Hozoji Temple, there is a wooden statue of the god "HASHIRIDAIKOKU" which was engraved by Shodo Shonin.
In addition to these temples and shrines, there is also a church built by the effort of a Copper mine Owner from England who built churches near copper mines all over the world.
Tsudo Mine Shrine
