TBM Staff - Mumbai On July 27 2024, the historic Sado Island Gold Mines, located on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, has officially been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the World Commission meeting held in New Delhi, further solidifying its significance as one of Japan’s most treasured cultural landmarks.
In 2022, the “Golden Mine on Sado Island” including this “Historic Site Sado Gold Mine” was nominated by UNESCO as a candidate for World Cultural Heritage in Japan, and since then the preparations were underway for the official registration.
Sado Island Gold Mines: A Glimpse into Japan’s Golden Era
Sado Island Gold and Silver Mines is a general term for the gold and silver mines on Sado Island, one of which is the Aikawa-Tsurushi Gold and Silver Mine. Gold dust began to be mined around the 12th century. Full scale development began in 1601, and a large amount of gold and silver was produced for nearly 400 years until mining stopped in 1989. The total length of the Aikawa Gold and Silver Mine is an incredible 400 kilometers. A portion of it is open to the public as a Historic Site Sado Gold Mineight seeing route.
Today, the site has been developed as a tourist facility with Sado Museum, Historic Site Sado Gold Mine, where you can learn about the traditional mining and production methods while observing heritage sites. At the Gold and Silver Mine Guidance Facility Kirarium Sado, take a commemorative photo with a giant koban coin. The UNESCO designation is expected to draw increased global attention, making Sado Island a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts and tourists alike.
With the recent UNESCO designation of Sado Island Gold Mines, the prefecture is poised to become an even more prominent destination on the global tourism map.
