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Sado Gold and Silver Mine: Relics tell you 400 years of history
Joined 2015
Sado has been well known as one of the major gold and silver production sites in Japan. It has the history of 1000 years.
There are four major minig sites in Sado: Nishimikawa alluvial gold mine, Tsurushi silver mine, Niibo silver mine and Sado (Aikawa) gold and silver mine. Sado gold and silver mine was the biggest of all with 400 years of history.
Mining in Aikawa started in the late 16th century and was halted in 1989.
In this tour, we first visit Sado Gold and Silver Mine Museum, where we enter the Sodayu tunnel which is open to the public.
The Sodayu tunnel was dug manually by thousands of mine workers during the Edo period.
You can see the whole process of gold and silver production at that time.
Then we see some old buildings and a relic built from Meiji to Showa era. These buildings were used to crush, store and smelt ores.
Next, we visit the graveyard of Mushuku-nin(people without register) brought in from Edo and Osaka to work as drainage workers.
Then, we walk down the street called Kyomachi-dori, once bustled with mine workers, government officials and towns people.
Kyomachi-dori street linked Sado Magistrate Office to mining sites.
Aikawa town was developed and divided into communities with same occupation. Along the way, we see old buildings, workshops, local grocery store and cafes.
We walk past old bell tower, Sado Hanga-mura Museum(print museum) originally built as a district court and Sado Magistrate Office.
Finally, we visit Kitazawa area, developed from Meiji to Showa era with modern Western mining technologies to produce gold and silver effectively. Ruined factories, thermal power plant and a 50-meter thickener have remained.
Sado Gold and Silver Mine has practiced cutting-edge production methods of each era and you can see the authenticity here in Aikawa.
FYI, walking distance is about 3 kilometers.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
In front of Sado Gold and Silver Mine Museum
Sado Gold and Silver Mine Museum
Kyomachi- dori street
Kitazawa area
Ending Point
In front of Aikawa Folk Museum in Kitazawa
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee
Sado Gold and Silver Mine Museum entrance fee 900yen per person
Tour Important Information
Important message from the supplier
Booking should be made 3days in advance.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2015
About Tour Guide Fujiko M.
Hello! My name is Fujiko Maeda. I'm a national-licensed tour guide. I was born in Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata Prefecture. I once worked in tourism industry for about 10 years when I lived in Tokyo. Now I'm a persimmon farmer but when time permits I'm happy to guide you here in Sado mainly but also other places, too. We have a lot to offer like beautiful nature, historical sites, local specialties, traditional performing arts, festivals, islanders smiles and so on.
If you'd like to know real Japanese lifestyle, please visit Sado.
I'm sure you'll be satisfied.
Let's explore Sado or other wonderful and beautiful places with me!
Also, if you have any questions about Sado or Japan as a whole, please don't hesitate to email me.
Reviews
“Niigata Toyr with Fujiko”
I appreciate the time Fujiko took to show me around Niigata-shi. She was accompanied by a friend and fellow tour guide,Taku, who kindly provided the transportation. The tour was informative and entertaining! I was allowed to customize the tour with sites I was interested in seeing, and Fujiko created a wonderful plan for my seven hour tour. After meeting me at my hotel, we visited a Senbei factory, creating our own seasoning for our rice crackers; a Sake brewery tour & sampling; a fish market; a street market where I purcashed the local sweet treat, Sasa Dango; a delicious lunch enjoying Wappameshi; walking the Furumachi area; and ending at the Hakusan Shrine and garden. Taku also helped me purchase my train tickets at the Niigata Station for the next day. I appreciated their patience with all of my questions. They made my first trip to Niigata comfortable with their friendly and experienced guidance and information! I would gladly schedule with them again for future tours. Thank you! Ann
Fujiko M.
(31 reviews)Hi Ann san, Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful review for the tour. Taku and I are happy that you enjoyed the tour in Niigata city with us. Niigata is not yet well known for foreign tourists but it has rich history and must-see places. Next time, we may visit the suburbs of Niigata city. So, we are looking forwrard to meeting you again in the near future! Please take care and see you! Fujiko
“Fujiko is the best!”
We enjoyed our visit to Sado because our guide Fujiko was not only informative but she shared her passion for her hometown. It was fun to go around the island with ‘the ambassador of Sado’, she made our visit quite welcoming and personal. She adapted the tour to our interests and her English is perfect! What a lovely soul!
Fujiko M.
(31 reviews)Dear Gary san, Thank you so mach for writing such a wonderful review of the tour. It's so encouraging. Yes, I will try hard to be an active ambassador of Sado and promote Sado to have more foreign tourists. I hope your safe and wonderful trip ahead. Fujiko
“Excellent tour of Niigata and surrounding countryside”
I contacted Fujiko about three months prior to my visit to Niigata with ideas about what I wanted to see. Niigata is in a special area of Japan blessed with a flat plain and wetlands. Fujiko was extremely responsive in our Go With Guide correspondence and also gave a lot of thought to the itinerary based on my wish list. Fortunately for me, Fujiko is extremely knowledgeable about nature, agriculture, botany as well as the city sites of Niigata. Besides the geography of Niigata and surrounds, tasting local foods was high on my wish list. Fujiko arranged a very delicious and reasonably priced dinner featuring local snow crab. As well, she took us to a local sweet shop at my request. Fujiko is extremely fluent and colloquial in her command of English. As well, she is a very nice and kind person. It was a real pleasure to have had the opportunity to spend time with her, discussing all things Japanese, local and otherwise. Our tour was a lot of fun and I highly recommend Fujiko for your tour guide when you are in Niigata!
Fujiko M.
(31 reviews)Hi Karen san, Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful review of the Niigata tour. Yes, we discussed a lot about the itinerary because you did a very good research of the places of interests in Niigata. It was a perfect timing to see canola flower at Fukushimagata wetland and sakura in full bloom! But we didn't have enough time to stroll in Furumachi area. Let's do a second tour in the near future!? Thank you again and see you again! Fujiko
$72/ per group
Reserve
