The Sado Island Gold Mines, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan inscribed in July 2024, lie off Niigata Prefecture on a volcanic island in the Sea of Japan. Operational from 1601 until 1989, these mines, once the world’s largest gold producer, yielded 78 tons of gold and 2,330 tons of silver, funding the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period (1603–1868). Featuring unmechanized mining techniques, preserved tunnels, and the striking Doyu no Warito—a hand-carved, V-shaped valley—the site reflects Japan’s industrial heritage and traditional craftsmanship across four centuries.

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