Inherited Ties of the Highway — Toward the Future.
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~ "Road of Gold Forum" in Tokyo: Five Regions Along the Route Seek Stronger Partnerships ~ (Jan 31, 2026: "Road of Gold Forum" Report)
On January 31, the "Road of Gold Forum" (hosted by Niigata Prefecture and Sado City) took place at Otemachi Sankei Plaza in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. The forum brought together representatives from five regions along the "Okaneni-no-michi" (Road of Shogunate Gold)—the historical route used to transport gold and silver from Sado to Edo during the Edo period.
The event explored strategies to deepen regional collaboration and pass on the cultural value of the "Sado Island Gold Mines," which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2024, to future generations. (Honorifics omitted)
Panel Discussion
[Panelists]
Tadahiko Shoyama Executive Director, Association to Preserve the "Sado Island Gold Mines" for the Future
Toshihiko Hashimoto Vice Chairman, Executive Committee for the 400th Anniversary of Unno-juku Post Town
Tokuzo Nakajima President, Ansei Toashi (Samurai Marathon) Preservation Society
Takashi Kiyofuji Secretary General, Warabi Guide Association
Hiroya Matsuyama Representative Director, Itabashi-shuku Fudo-dori Merchants Association
[Coordinator]
Takamitsu Magari Editorial Writer, The Niigata Nippo
Topic 1 | Local Initiatives
Shoyama: Strengthening Historical Site Preservation
Hashimoto: PR Strategy with Unno-juku Maps
[Magari] Could you introduce the specific initiatives your regions are taking to preserve and utilize the history of the "Road of Gold" from the Edo period?
[Shoyama / Sado] Our association hosts lectures, training sessions, and PR events, including the "Road of Gold Walk." Our most vital task is the physical preservation of historical sites, such as weeding and maintaining the trails to protect the heritage.
[Hashimoto / Unno-juku] Unno-juku in Tomi City, Nagano, features a 650-meter stretch of the Hokkoku Kaido with about 70 preserved houses. Celebrating our 400th anniversary last year, we collaborated with local universities for workshops. We also created the "Unno-juku & Road of Gold Map" to celebrate our growing ties with Sado City.
[Nakajima / Annaka] Annaka City sits at the western edge of Gunma, with the Nakasendo (Road of Gold) running through its heart. Our main event is the "Ansei Toashi" (Samurai Marathon). Revived in 1975 based on 19th-century records, it has become our city’s largest project, gaining fame through novels and films.
[Kiyofuji / Warabi] Warabi-juku on the Nakasendo is unique for its historical 1.1km stretch once surrounded by a 2-meter deep moat. We host a major Post Town Festival every November 3rd and hope to integrate the "Road of Gold Walk" into our future festivities.
[Matsuyama / Itabashi] Itabashi-juku was the first stop from Edo (and the last from Kyoto). Historically, it was a place for travelers to cleanse and rest before entering the capital. While our shopping street faces an aging population, we stay vibrant through regular morning markets and community events.
Topic 2 | Inheriting the Future
Nakajima: Training the Next Heritage Leaders
Kiyofuji: Inheriting Legends for the Future
[Magari] Could you share your ideas on how to pass this heritage on to the next generation?
[Shoyama / Sado] Our top priority is educational outreach in schools. Since the World Heritage listing, requests for on-site learning have increased, so we are focusing on training local guides. However, private efforts have limits—stronger collaboration with the prefecture and city is essential.
[Hashimoto / Unno-juku] To spark interest among children, we involved them in our 400th-anniversary projects. We also plan to hold art contests for students and hobbyists who come to sketch our town. Additionally, we are reviewing our organization’s structure to ensure long-term sustainability and responsibility.
[Nakajima / Annaka] We need a system and people capable of accurately explaining and promoting our historical and cultural assets to anyone at any time. Human resource development is the key to professional heritage management.
[Kiyofuji / Warabi] We’ve launched the "Warabi-juku Walking Tour" and receive requests for extracurricular lessons from schools. There’s a fascinating legend behind the name "Warabi"—as guides, it’s our role to share these stories and get young people excited about our history.
[Matsuyama / Itabashi] Itabashi Ward hosts a massive annual Citizens' Festival. I hope to see local prefectural associations (Kenjinkai) take a central role in these festivals and shopping street events, creating a stronger network of people dedicated to our shared roots.
Topic 3 | Creating a Shared Future
Shopping Streets as Hubs for Community Exchange — Mr. Matsuyama
[Magari] What possibilities do you see for the collaboration created by the "Road of Gold"?
[Shoyama / Sado] Over the past three years, we have achieved real exchange with municipalities and private groups outside the island. Consistency is key. While we face challenges like networking and budgeting, we will overcome them through strong partnerships with the government.
[Hashimoto / Unno-juku] At our local festival, we are planning a "Okaneni-no-michi Procession." Our guides will also integrate stories of the gold transport route along the Hokkoku Kaido to keep this history alive and vibrant.
[Nakajima / Annaka] For today, we created a special commemorative keychain featuring the seal of the Sado Magistrate and the protective Gegyo (gable pendant) from the Usui Checkpoint. I hope it brings good fortune to everyone we’ve connected with today.
[Kiyofuji / Warabi] To ensure our historical and tourism value never fades, we will always include the story of the "Road of Gold" when guiding visitors through Warabi-juku.
[Matsuyama / Itabashi] Our shopping street’s role is to bridge the gap between new residents and long-time locals. I hope our district can serve as a gateway for exchange between Sado and all the other regions we’ve met today.
[Magari / Closing] In an era of depopulation, increasing the "related population" through meaningful exchange is vital. The relationships forged through the "Road of Gold" are precious. Let us cherish this bond and continue our journey together.
Opening Remarks: Ryugo Watanabe, Mayor of Sado City
Weaving Cultural Stories into the Future.
The inscription of the "Sado Island Gold Mines" as a UNESCO World Heritage site was achieved through 28 years of dedicated effort by everyone involved. The true value of these mines lies in their role as a vital missing link in human history—representing the era of "handcrafted gold production," which predates both ancient alluvial panning and modern industrial mining.
This is an immensely significant recognition. It carries a sense of historical romance, including the possibility that Sado’s gold even influenced Europe. We are committed to passing down the "Road of Gold" and these cultural narratives to future generations.
Keynote Address: A Journey Through the Sado Island Gold Mines
Toma Yamamoto-RichardWorld Heritage Academy Certified Instructor & World Heritage Meister
"Memories" Presented to the International Community
Exploring the Sado Island Gold Mines: A Legacy of Memory
[Filling the Gap in Global History] In my visit to Sado last October, I explored the heritage sites of Aikawa, Nishimikawa, and Tsurushi. Unlike many overseas mines dominated by machinery, Sado preserves the visual transition from hand-tooling to early mechanization. It is a "heritage that fills the gap in the global history of gold," showcasing a sophisticated manual production system that is unique in the world. Specifically, the "Onagashi" method at the Nishimikawa Placer Gold Mine represents a rare, community-based technique of sand gold collection.
[A Living Culture, Unlike Any Other] Sado’s uniqueness lies in the fact that its culture remains "vibrant and dignified" to this day. While many global gold-rush towns declined after the mines closed, Sado’s identity—from its port towns like Ogi and Shukunegi to its performing arts like Noh and Onideko, and even the conservation of the Toki (Japanese Crested Ibis)—continues to thrive, rooted in the history of the mines.
[The Modern Concept of World Heritage] World Heritage is not a mechanical measurement of value; it is a system where a nation presents and persuades the international community of its own history and "memory." As a "Serial Site" consisting of multiple assets, Sado embodies a modern vision of World Heritage, weaving diverse historical threads into a singular, universal value.
[Preserving Memory for the Future] Challenges remain, such as managing vegetation at Nishimikawa to ensure its value is visually accessible. Moving forward, the "Road of Gold"—the route that transported nearly 80 tons of gold from Sado to Edo—serves as a fascinating approach to narrating this memory. It reveals Sado’s reality as "Edo’s underground vault" and reminds us that gold was the force that moved humanity in an era when people rarely traveled.
［Toma Yamamoto-Richard］
Born in 2005 in Lyon, France, and raised in Kyoto. At the age of 11, he became the youngest person ever to achieve the "Meister" rank, the highest level of the World Heritage Proficiency Test.
He has gained widespread recognition through his media appearances, including serving as a "Mystery Hunter" on The Discoveries of the World's Mysteries (TBS) and as the "World Heritage Dr. Chan" on Sandwichman & Ashida Mana’s Dr. Chan (TV Asahi).
Currently a student at the University of Tokyo (Faculty of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences I), he is also a Certified Instructor for the World Heritage Academy. He is dedicated to sharing the significance and universal value of World Heritage sites with a broad audience. He is the author of The WOW Factor: The Fortress of Peace Within the Heart (Shogakukan).
【Reflecting on the Past: Along the "Road of Gold" Walk】
Reliving the Shogunate's Golden Route: The "Okaneni-no-michi" Heritage Walk
[Connecting History from Sado to Edo] From 2023 to 2025, Sado City hosted the "Okaneni-no-michi Walk," a unique event where participants retrace the historical route used to transport gold and silver from Sado to Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period, dressed in traditional period costumes. The gold produced in Sado’s Aikawa mines was shipped from Ogi Port to Izumozaki, then carried overland via the Hokkoku and Nakasendo highways to reach the capital.
[Expanding the Circle of Exchange] Originally started by local citizens to build momentum for the UNESCO World Heritage listing, the project was expanded by Sado City in 2023 to regions outside the island. In 2024, the year the World Heritage status was officially granted, participants walked through the historic post town of Unno-juku (Nagano Prefecture) and concluded at Nihonbashi in Tokyo—the site of the "Kinza," the central mint of the Shogunate.
[Toward the Future in 2025] The 2025 event featured an 11-kilometer course from Warabi (Saitama) to Itabashi (Tokyo) along the Old Nakasendo. Approximately 100 participants, including Sado natives living in the Tokyo area, donned traditional suge-gasa (sedge hats) and traveling robes. Their procession caught the eyes of many onlookers, serving as a living bridge between the past and the future of the "Sado Island Gold Mines."
