Night Tour of the Sado Gold Mine: A World Heritage Site

This is a normally unavailable night tour of the historic Sado Gold Mine featuring scenic illumination.

The Doyu Mine is one of the most famous landmarks within the Sado Gold Mine World Heritage Site. During this event, Doyu no warito, symbol of the Aikawa Gold Mine, will be lit up for a fantastic night tour utilizing projection mapping and other light-based scenography. Available for a limited time only, this night tour is not something that visitors can experience on a regular basis.

The historic gold mine is a rare industrial heritage site, featuring a large-scale system of gold production that operated for more than 380 years on gold-rich Sado Island from the late 16th century to the mid-19th century. Under the management and operation of the Tokugawa Shogunate, isolationist policies limited the exchange of technology with the outside world. The system was thus quite different from those of Europe, and involved the use of Japanese traditional handicraft techniques to produce gold of world-class quality and quantity.

Workers were recruited from all over Japan by the shogunate, which resulted in a rich, diverse culture centered on the mine, including religious beliefs, performing arts, and entertainment.

In addition to the night tour, this event will give visitors a chance to experience Sado Island's unique performing arts, historical culture, and nature, as well as dishes showcasing the island’s delicious cuisine.