Historic Site, Sado Gold Mine

Sado gold mine is said to have been developed by three speculators in 1601. The gold vein extends 3,000 m east to north, 600 m north to south, depth is 800 m, and produces 78 tons of gold and 2,330 tons of silver. A magistrate's office was founded in the Edo Period and mint factories were built there, too. After the Meiji Restoration mechanization of facilities were promoted, and they contributed to the modernization of Japanese industrial evolution. It had long been expanded and grown as the largest gold/silver mine in Japan, but in 1989, because of a drain on resources, it stopped the operation and put an end to its 400 years of history. At “Historic Site Sado Gold Mine,” you can see many remnants of the site. Most of the distributed mining galleries, digging facilities, and refining facilities have been designated as National Important Cultural Properties, Historical Sites, and Heritage of Industrial Modernization site. The site has been enlisted on UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage, and efforts for a definitive registration is proceeding.