In 1610， two farmers were said to find copper in Mt.Bizentate. Mt. Bizentate stands 1，272 meters tall and is particularly popular among hikers in late April， when tall-growing azalea shrubs bloom across the mountainside."

Hangetsusan is a mountain at the southeastern corner of Lake Chuzenji. Hiking trails lead up to the top of the mountain. Near the summit there is an observation deck with great views of the Okunikko region including Lake Chuzenji and Mount Nantai. From about mid October to early November each year， autumn colors add to the scenery viewed from here， making this a popular autumn leaf viewing spot. From there it takes approximately 30 minutes to ascend to the observation deck near the summit along a steep nature trail."

Overview of the Furukawa Ashio History Museum Ashio Copper Mine is one of the most important copper-producing sites in Japanese history. Discovered during the Sengoku period (1550), it was later mined under the direct control of the Edo shogunate. It once served as an essential source of material for Kan’ei Tsūhō, the currency of the time. As output later declined, the mine was taken over by the Furukawa family during the Meiji period. Due to advances in technology, new ore veins were found, and under the then national policy of enriching the country and strengthening the military, the mine prospered, making the Furukawa family magnates of the mining industry.   The Furukawa Ashio History Museum tells the stirring story of that industrial dawn. In addition to models of the Ashio Mining Office and stories of successive managers, it also exhibits the various tools used by miners in those days, recounting the history of the Ashio area.

With a 400-year history， Ashio Copper Mine is a tourist attraction built out of the industrial remains of what used to be the largest copper mine in Japan. A trolley train transports visitors 700 metres underground to displays of the mine’s chronology and history and demonstrations of the harsh working conditions through life-like wax figures. You can learn more about this industrial property at the three on-site museums including the copper museum with displays of traditional copper processing methods. Then relax at the traditional cafe or enjoy a leisurely walk along the nearby Watarase River. Between 1610 and 1868， the copper mined here was an important resource for the prosperity of the nation. It was used to produce tiles for castles and shrines and was exported to China and the Netherlands. Among the coins of the years 1600 to 1867， coins produced in Ashio were known as “Ashiji-sen” with the Chinese character of “Ashi (foot)” on the back. Today the coin-shaped local Japanese sweet “Ashiji-sen Monaka” is a popular souvenir.

From the mid Meiji to the early Showa periods, the area around Lake Chuzenji was home to foreign embassies and villas and flourished as summer resorts. The villa was built as a summer house for the Italian ambassador in 1928 and used by successive ambassadors until 1997. Along with the main building reconstructed with the original floor, fittings and furniture, the cottage is now open to the public as a history museum of the local international summer resorts. In addition to the buildings, the park pleases the eye with a lovely view of Lake Chuzenji.   The villa was designed by Czech architect Antonin Raymond (1888-1976). Raymond moved to the United States when he was 22 years old where he took up architecture. His first visit to Japan was during the New Year’s period in 1919-20 to work on the project of the Imperial Hotel with his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright. Raymond was advised by local craftsmen on traditional architectural materials. He made a good use of the local Nikko cedar on the walls and his chequered design creates a beautifully modern exterior to the two-storey wooden villa. The whole ceiling of the ground floor was made with cedar bark by wickerwork, a popular technique in the traditional Japanese Sukiya style of architecture. The space of the living room and study is skilfully divided by wickerwork patterns.