In the 1600s, Japan produced nearly a fifth of the world’s gold and
nearly half of that came from Sado. In this episode of Focus, Euronews uncovers the charms of this mythical island.
nearly half of that came from Sado. In this episode of Focus, Euronews uncovers the charms of this mythical island.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 (dramatic music)
00:02 We all know it as the land of the rising sun,
00:07 but once Japan was called the land of gold.
00:10 Welcome to Sado, a mysterious and mythical island.
00:13 Located west of the mainland in the Sea of Japan,
00:22 Sado is the country's sixth biggest island.
00:25 This off-the-beaten-track destination
00:28 is known for its fabulous seafood,
00:30 stunning coastline, and temples.
00:33 But Sado is most famous for its gold.
00:36 During the Edo period, under Japan's shogunate rulers,
00:40 huge amounts of the precious metal were extracted from here.
00:43 (speaking in foreign language)
00:49 Should we go in?
00:51 (speaking in foreign language)
00:52 Aikawa is one of the island's most historic mines,
00:54 and Kimiko is giving me a guided tour.
00:57 (upbeat music)
01:00 Kimiko, this is one of Sado's biggest mines.
01:05 How much gold was extracted from here?
01:07 (speaking in foreign language)
01:27 A lot has been done to preserve the mining network.
01:29 This part has been adapted for the public.
01:32 Incredibly, the tunnels stretch 400 kilometers,
01:35 about the same distance from Sado to Tokyo.
01:38 If that statistic doesn't blow your mind,
01:40 maybe these characters will.
01:42 The robots give visitors an idea
01:44 of the mining methods once used.
01:46 And it's wet, though.
01:52 (speaking in foreign language)
01:56 (upbeat music)
01:58 Above ground, you get a real sense of the human effort
02:09 that went into getting the precious ores out.
02:11 This giant cleft in the mountain
02:13 was dug using only hand tools.
02:15 Japan's government has nominated Aikawa
02:19 and one of Sado's other mines, Nishimikawa,
02:22 for UNESCO World Heritage status.
02:24 The aim is to showcase the mining techniques
02:26 developed here between the late 16th and mid-19th centuries.
02:31 (speaking in foreign language)
02:41 In addition to its rock mines,
02:52 Sado also has a placer gold mine in Nishimikawa.
02:56 Located not far from Aikawa is the Nishimikawa Gold Park.
03:00 Here, if you're feeling lucky,
03:01 you can experience placer gold panning.
03:04 Gold's influence runs deep here.
03:14 Over the centuries, it's lured through people
03:17 from all over Japan.
03:18 Their different traditions merge
03:20 to form one distinct culture, including this festival,
03:23 established by the island's mining community.
03:26 (speaking in foreign language)
03:33 (speaking in foreign language)
03:37 Part of the festivity sees villagers
03:55 carry a sacred shrine all day long,
03:57 an arduous activity that shouldn't be taken lightly.
04:00 (dramatic music)
04:03 Another ritual sees this elder visit every home in Aikawa.
04:08 Legend has it he's praying for both a good harvest
04:11 and urging villagers to dig for gold.
04:14 (speaking in foreign language)
04:25 (speaking in foreign language)
04:29 As a destination, Sado often gets overlooked
04:35 in favor of some of Japan's more famous locations.
04:39 But the island's unique culture, natural beauty,
04:41 and historic role in shaping the fortunes of Japan
04:44 make it one of the country's best kept secrets.
04:47 (speaking in foreign language)
04:51 (cheering)
04:54 (cheering)
04:57 (audience cheering)