1. Site of the Former Kitazawa Floating Concentrator
Gold and Silver Mines Heritage and Relics

Site of the Former Kitazawa Floating Concentrator

  • Industrial ruins that are truly awe-inspiring in their sheer scale.

  • It is located in the Kitazawa district, which is home to a concentration of facilities that contributed to the modernization of the mining industry.

  • The concrete foundation bears witness to the prosperity of days gone by.

  • There is a brick power plant right next to it.

  • A thickener is a facility that separates slurry-like ore from water. Together with flotation plants, it supported the massive increase in production during the Showa era.

  • We will illuminate the site during the tourist season.

  • You can enjoy a magical scene that’s different from what you see during the day.

  • This is the site of a former foundry.

A Symbol of Modern Heritage: “The Largest Floating Ore Processing Plant in the Orient”

The Kitazawa district of Aikawa is home to a dense cluster of facilities (designated as a National Historic Site) that contributed to the modernization of the mine, including a power plant and a thickener. The flotation process—a technique originally used in copper production—was adapted for the extraction of gold and silver, marking the first successful practical application of this method in Japan.Large-scale capital investment was made as part of wartime plans for massive production increases, and because the facility could process up to 50,000 metric tons of ore per month, it was hailed as “the best in the Orient.” The site is currently illuminated during the tourist season.

Facility Basic Information

Address
3-2 Aikawa Kitazawamachi, Sado, Niigata 952-1539
Transport Access
Ryotsu Port Approx 50 minutes by car
Nearest bus stop
Aikawa Hakubutsukanmae (Honsen [Main Line], Nanaura Kaigansen Line) Approx. 2 minutes on foot from bus stop
Parking
Cars:30  Buses:3 

Nearby Spots

Stores where you can eat and drink nearby