Kinzanjaya

Inscribed with birthplace, posthumous Buddhist names, names and ages of twenty-eight mushukuknin, who worked as a drainage labourer and deceased underground in 1853, a gravestone stands in the middle of mountains. In the Edo Period, to secure labour at the gold mine, 1,800-some mushukunin were forced to come and work in a mine from Edo (present-day Tokyo), and Osaka and Nagasaki, both of which were under direct control of the Edo Shogunate. Mushukunin is people who do not have fixed address arrested under the Shogunate's public security measures. Due to the hard labour, mushukunin is said to have lived a short life.

Sado Kinzan Gold Mine is a collection of historic relics which tell the 400-year history of Sado's gold and silver mines. On the Edo Kinzan Emaki (illustrated scrolls of gold mines) course (Sodayu Tunnel course), full-size dolls and robots provide accurate presentations of the workings of the mines in the past. On the Meiji Government-Controlled Mine course (Doyu Tunnel course), relics of modernization and industrialization still remain. Furthermore, there is also a guided tour course which includes facilities such as "The Best Gold Processing Plant in Asia" and "Japan's First Wetsern-Style Vertical Tunnel", that will cause visitors to marvel at the impressive scale.

Doyu no Warito is a relic of opencast mining from the Edo Period (1603-1867), which is said to be a pit in the early stages of the development of Sado's gold and silver mines. As the digging went deeper and deeper to extract more gold ore, the mountaintop was split into a V-shape. The crack on the summit reaches approximately thirty metres in width and seventy-four metres in depth. The mountain with the crack holds a mother lode of gold, stretching about ten metres wide, called the Doyu Vein, and after the Meiji Period (1868-1912), large-scale development was carried out under the Warito.

Up the hill on Kyomachi Street in Aikawa, you will see an ivy-covered three-metre high concrete wall. Aikawa Detention House was opened as a branch of Niigata Prison in 1954, and was in use until 1972 when it was relocated in the Sawata area. Designated as Japan's Tangible Cultural Property, this is a wooden detention house still in existence, which is rarely found in Japan. Aikawa Detention House is open to the public and free of charge, so you can take a look around.

This relaxing, tranquil restaurant was converted from the home of a mine captain on Aikawa's Kyomachi Street. Highlights include hand-kneaded soba noodles made from home-grown-and-ground buckwheat, soba croquettes, and soba shiruko (sweet red bean soup with soba dumplings). This restaurant is open on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays only.

Gashima Cinema is located on historical Kyomachi Street, which connects Sado Gold and Silver Mine with the Sado Commissioner's Office. This former residence of the Sado Gold Mine captain, built about 80 years ago, has been converted into a café while maintaining the ambiance of the olden days. A monthly featured film is shown daily, and a monthly book corner provides movie-related books. An old carbon arc film projector, which was once used at an actual movie theatre, is on display. This spot is perfect for a break on a stroll through history, in the old mining town of Aikawa.

Converted from an old Japanese-style house in the Aikawa area, this dining establishment offers a hotel-like atmosphere with a sense of Sado's long-standing traditions. Enjoy dishes highlighting Sado-sourced ingredients while taking in the stunning views of Aikawa. The outdoor terrace is a perfect spot to enjoy a warm and sunny day. This spot also offers a space for rent, so exhibitions and live entertainment are a common occurrence.