In the 1600s, Japan produced almost a fifth of the world’s gold and almost half of it came from Sado. In this episode of Focus, Euronews discovers the charms of this mythical island.
Located west of the mainland in the Sea of Japan, Sado is Japan’s sixth largest island. This off-the-beaten-track destination is known for its fabulous seafood, stunning coastline and ancient temples. But Sado is most famous for its gold: During the Edo period, under Japan’s shogunate rulers, vast quantities of gold were mined here.
Ishikawa Kimiko, from Sado City’s World Heritage Promotion Division, told Euronews: “During the Edo period, 41 tonnes of gold were extracted from the Sado gold mines, and it is said that 20 per cent of the world’s gold came from Japan at the beginning of the 17th century. Half of this Japanese gold was mined here in Sado.
Aikawa is one of the most historic mines on the island. The tunnels are estimated to be 400km long – to put that in perspective, that is about the distance between Sado and Tokyo.
The Japanese government has nominated Aikawa and another of Sado’s mines, Nishimikawa, for UNESCO World Heritage status to showcase the mining techniques developed here between the late 16th and mid-19th centuries.
“The important thing about Sado is that at a time when other countries were becoming mechanised, Sado produced a large amount of high quality gold using non-mechanised, manual methods,” adds Kimiko.
As a destination, Sado could be overlooked in favour of some of Japan’s more famous locations, but the island’s unique culture, natural beauty and historical role in shaping the fortunes of Japan make it one of the country’s best-kept secrets.
