Photo Credit: Gunma Prefecture
The Arafune Cold Storage was formally inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List on June 25 as one of the Related Sites of the Tomioka Silk Mill. During the Meiji period (1868-1912) when there was an increased demand for raw silk production, the Arafune Cold Storage adopted a silkworm egg storage technology that utilized the natural cold air and enabled stable cocoon harvesting.