Tsurushi Silver Mine

It wasn't just gold that was found in Sado; silver was also discovered here!

In 1542, a merchant from Echigo, now in Niigata Prefecture, is said to have found the silver deposit that led to the Tsurushi Silver Mine. The merchant saw a mountain glistening when seen from the sea. He went ashore to investigate and found that the mountain contained silver. He was then granted permission to mine silver, and it is said that he paid 100 mai of silver in taxes to the feudal lord every month. The area is still known as Hyakumaidaira, which means "100-mai flatland," and you can see many surface mining sites where silver was directly mined from the surface. Including the remains of mining tunnels, more than 600 mining sites have been identified. People from all over the country came to Tsurushi hoping to get rich, and at its height the area was so crowded that it was called Tsurushi Sengen, which means "The One Thousand Houses in the Tsurushi Area."

Where did people develop the skills to mine silver?

In fact, Sado and the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in Shimane Prefecture had a close relationship. The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Proprietors showed the Sado locals how to dig mine tunnels. At Sado, they used a tunneling technique called "yokoai" and the latest smelting technology called "cupellation" to dramatically increase gold and silver production. In order to transport the materials used in the silver mines, a maritime transportation hub was established, incorporating not only mining techniques but also expertise in urban and port development. These methods eventually shaped the growth of Aikawa.