Sado — the island of gold and Noh theater
World Heritage Mines, Noh Theater, Vessels Born from the Earth of the Mines — A Journey through Sado
Gold and firelight
Gold and the Campfire — What Remains on the Island
The gold of Sado did not remain on the island. It was transported by ship to Edo and became the financial foundation of the shogunate.
What remained is the Noh theater.
Tean Okubo, the first manager of the gold mines, was the younger son of Jibu Dayu Okura, a Sarugaku performer who served Takeda Shingen. Tean arrived on the island accompanied by a troupe of Noh performers, built the Kasuga Shrine in Aikawa, and dedicated Noh performances to it. At its peak, there were up to 200 Noh stages on the island. More than 30 have survived to this day. Most of them are located on shrine grounds, and performances are held not under a roof, but by the light of bonfires.
There is something else that remains: the red earth from the mine tunnels. Rich in iron oxide, it is called “Mumeii”—originally the name of a Chinese medicinal remedy used to stop bleeding. At the end of the Edo period, the Ito family from Aikawa used it as clay for ceramics. Earth extracted from the gold mines was transformed into vessels.
There is a saying on Sado: “Mai-taosu”—to ruin oneself out of love for Noh theater. The gold was taken away. Only its fervor remains on the island, burning to this day.
Seasonal Changes
The Donden Plateau is open to visitors from late April to mid-November. During the winter closure of the Osado Skyline and Donden Line roads, when access to the plateau is restricted by the prefecture, the route will be replaced with a visit to either Senkaku Bay Ageshima Park or the five-tiered pagoda of Myosenji (built in 1825, recognized as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and the only five-tiered pagoda in Niigata Prefecture).
Noh theater performances take place from April to October. Outside this period, the visit will be replaced by a tour of the Noh stage at Suwa Shrine in Shiizaki, as well as a leisurely dinner at your hotel.
Additional Options
Year-round
- Tour of the Sado Magistrate’s Office and Kyomachi Street
- Evening illumination of the Kitazawa Flotation Plant ruins (evening guided tour from the hotel)
- Visit to Mumyoi-yaki pottery workshops in Aikawa
- Five-story pagoda of Myosenji Temple
- Stroll through Shukunegi Village and tour of traditional open houses
- Gold leaf application experience
- Transfer with driver from Niigata Station or Niigata Airport
Seasonal
- Tarai-bune tub boat ride at Yajima and Kyojima (April–October)
- Sado Gold Mine “Yamashi Tour” — exploration of the Daitsuyama tunnel, completed in 1647 (April–November, about 70 minutes, reservation required)
- Senkakuzan Ageshima Park and sightseeing submarine cruise (open only on weekends and holidays from December to February)
- Lunch at Donden Highland Lodge (mid-April to early November)
*Please note that meals and additional options are not included in the tour price.
*If you wish to attend a Noh theater performance, we will adjust the schedule according to the performance dates. Performances are held from April to October.