The Sado Goldmine 佐渡金山 also known as Sado Kinzan, is located on the island of Sado in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It was the largest gold and silver mine and was in operation until the modern era.
The mine has a 400-year heritage spanning economic ups & downs from its opening in 1601 to its closure in 1989. The industrial remains of the gold mine including tunnels and mining infrastructure are designated both as a national treasure and as part of Japan’s Heritage of Industrial Modernisation.
The estimated 400 kilometers of tunnels, 300 meters have been opened to the public as a museum, the mine’s main attractions are the walking courses that lead through the mining tunnels. Inside these deep tunnels, the mining work environment is reproduced the same as it was pictured in the Edo era.
Since the closure of the Sado goldmine, it was turned into a tourist attraction by preserving some of the buildings & facilities. Similar mining tools and tunnels can be observed which had been used since the Meiji era.
RaRu also visited the Kitazawa Floatation Plant, nearby. A flotation plant is a site where the final stage of gold mining takes place.
Japan’s most impressive industrial heritage site is The ruins of the Kitazawa flotation plant. Built during the first half of the year 1900, this was once the biggest producer of ore in East Asia. At night, the entire structure is illuminated by spotlights making it even more visually attractive.
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AloJapan.com