Kyo-machi Street

Wow! This street has a great vibe!

The main street connecting the Aikawa Gold and Silver Mine and the Sado Magistrate's Office is the Kyo-machi Street. During the early Edo period, when the gold mine was at its peak, this street was a popular place to go. Kyo-machi, named after Kyoto, the capital at the time, got its name from the shops along the street that sold silk and fabric for kimono clothing from Osaka and Kyoto. The street gradually rises up from Shimokyo-machi (Lower Kyomachi), where the bell tower is located, through Nakakyo-machi (Middle Kyomachi) and up to Kamikyo-machi (Upper Kyomachi). The street was full of life, with miners' houses, shops, and red-light districts. Aikawa has a number of narrow alleys that are remnants of the town's urban planning. At its peak, 50,000 people called Aikawa home.

It seems that a lot of history has been carefully preserved here.

It is not only the buildings that have survived. The culture and traditions of Aikawa still exist today. Every June, Kyo-machi Street hosts a charming festival called the “Yoinomai”, where the Aikawa Ondo is danced. As dusk falls, the street is softly lit by lanterns, and graceful dancers weave through the path to the haunting cadence of a mournful singer. The scenery is picturesque and makes it easy to imagine the hustle and bustle of Aikawa during the Edo period, when the gold mine was at its peak.