Culture

Sado Gold Mines Earn World Heritage Status: Expert Reacts

Industrial Heritage Information Center Director Koko Kato welcomed a UNESCO committee's decision to inscribe the Sado gold mines as a World Heritage site.

Published

1 month ago

August 1, 2024

Shimpei Okuhara

Doyu-no-Warito, a site of open-pit mining, which has become a symbol of the gold and silver mines of Sado Island. (© Sankei by Kenichi Honda)

*Koko Kato, Director of the Industrial Heritage Information Center (©Sankei by Naoki Aikawa)*

On July 27, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee unanimously voted to inscribe the Sado gold mines as a World Cultural Heritage site. The historic mines are located on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture).

In an interview with The Sankei Shimbun on the same day, Industrial Heritage Information Center Director Koko Kato reacted to the decision.

"I sincerely congratulate the people of Sado for their years of tireless efforts," she said. Referring to the mines' history, she added, "Sado, with its rich mining culture dating back to the Edo period, is incredibly vibrant. I hope many people will visit to experience the heritage that supported the Tokugawa Shogunate."

Historical Impact and Diplomatic Shifts

The Tokugawa Shogunate placed the Sado Island mines under its direct control in the early 17th century. Gold from these mines helped to sustain the Shogunate's finances.

South Korea initially opposed the registration, citing the so-called "wartime labor" of Koreans during World War II. However, the South Korean government recently revised its stance. It sits on the UNESCO committee, as does Japan, and participated in the unanimous vote to inscribe the mines.

"This may reflect the recent positive relations between Japan and South Korea, which is very encouraging," Kato commented. "Both countries should collaborate to boost World Heritage registrations and work together on cultural matters with a forward-thinking approach."

Kato had previously worked diligently on the 2015 registration of sites like Hashima Island (commonly known as Gunkanjima) in Nagasaki City. For similar reasons the South Korean government at the time opposed inscription of the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution because it included Hashima Island.

Find more information about the Sado Gold Mines on JAPAN Forward.

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Shimpei Okuhara