Sado Gold Mines Selected as World Heritage Site

UNESCO's World Heritage Committee voted to select Japan's historic Sado Gold Mines for listing as a World Cultural Heritage Site on Saturday, July 27. Meeting in India, the committee voted unanimously in favor of listing the site. It is Japan's 26th World Cultural Heritage site.

The historic gold (and some silver) mines are located on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture. In the first half of the 17th century, Japan produced about 20% of the world's gold. Half of that was mined at the Sado Island Gold Mines. That gave the island the status of having the largest gold mine in the world in the Edo period. 

Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa welcomed the news with a tweet, saying: "I am truly delighted that on July 27th, "Sado Island Gold Mines" nominated by Japan was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List by consensus of all Member States of the World Heritage Committee at the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee."

Referral In June

In June, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) recommended a "referral" regarding the proposal to inscribe the mines as a World Heritage Site. It sought additional information concerning three points:

• Exclusion of some areas where the heritage dates mostly since the Meiji Period; 
• Detailed explanations of how the mines were operated throughout their history;
• Plans for exhibition facilities and exhibitions.

South Korea had initially contested the listing, claiming Korean laborers in later eras were unfairly employed. However, after talks with Japan, the two sides reached agreement. Representatives of both South Korea and Japan sit on the committe.

Unique Techniques

Sado Island's gold mines became famous around the world, even though Japan did not welcome open international trade at the time. Marco Polo referred to Japan's richness in gold in his 13th century travelogs. Koban, high quality gold coins produced at Sado, were also coveted by the Dutch East India Company and other traders of the era in Europe.

Its success in the early Edo period is largely attributed to the development of a placer mining technique unique to the site. Workers developed a metal extraction method called Onagashi (great flow). Water was channeled to wash away the earthen debris of the mountain, leaving the heavier gold behind. Settled at the bottom of the waterways, it was easy to collect the glittering prize. 

In turn, those unique techniques left their mark on the Sado Island landscape and culture. Physically, Doyu-no-warito, a large mountain "split" by mining techniques used at the time, dominates the scenery.

Kamikawa also expounded on this history in a comment through her press office. Her written commented said: "'Sado Island Gold Mines' has an extraordinary value as an exceptional cultural heritage embodying the final advanced stage of the gold production system using traditional unmechanized mining technology which continued until the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the mid-19th Century, during which mechanization became increasingly prevalent."

She added, "I would like to wholeheartedly welcome the inscription of 'Sado Island Gold Mines' as a World Heritage Site, and pay sincere tribute to the long- standing efforts of the local people which made this possible. I hope that this inscription will lead to an increase of visitors to Sado Island and that the value of 'Sado Island Gold Mines' as a World Heritage site will become more widely known and appreciated globally."

Famous in 17th Century Europe

In the first half of the 17th century, Japan was producing 20% of the world's gold. About half of that was from Sado, bringing the island to the status of the largest gold mine in the world. Coveted koban, oval gold coins were minted on the island.

Niigata Prefecture and the local community have worked hard to maintain the authenticity and accessibility of the site. Among other things, they provide exhibits and other information about the mining techniques and history.

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

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Author: JAPAN Forward