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Japan Mint Hiroshima Branch (造幣局広島支局)

The Japan Mint Hiroshima Branch is one of only three facilities in the nation that specializes in the minting of coins. It may be under tight security with surveillance cameras and iron fences, but with an advance reservation it is possible to tour the factory on the mint grounds, with tours available in Japanese, English, Mandarin (Chinese), and Korean. Also, there is a museum set up on the grounds that specializes in coins that are rare even in Japan, in which about 1,000 items are on display, including gold currency from the 16th century and coins manufactured by the Japan Mint that chronicle its history.

Moment of Joy

The manufacturing on coins in Japan takes place in only three locations nationwide, one of which is the Japan Mint Hiroshima Branch. If you make a reservation in advance, you can see firsthand the process by which coins are made as well as tour the adjacent museum (no reservations necessary) where you can learn the history of Japanese coinage. In addition, the street that runs past the mint, aptly named “Coin-dori,” features a “Wealth Inari Shrine,” a tourist site where folks pray for increased economic prowess.