Gold Panning Sado Island Niigata Japan
Having been to a gold panning display in Ballarat, Victoria when I was a kid, I remember clearly looking at the whole place and wondering why I was there knowing it was just a tourist thing, as the logic of actually finding any gold in a place that had had millions of people do it over a 150 year period seemed impossible to me, at the mature age of 7. (And what was important about gold anyway?!) But I had fun pretending I’d found gold using large rocks in my pan, and playing with the water in the river.
So, being invited to attend a gold panning place at Sado Nishimikawa Gold Park on Sado Island Niigata Japan, with a similar theme, at the young age of 43, did not excite me in the slightest!
However, while the long tubs of sand didn’t hold much promise, I got to learn the technique for panning for gold.
It was a lot harder than I thought!
A lot of patience is needed, and you really need to put your back into it as you are constantly moving both arms back and forth to swish water through the sand in the pan in a circular motion while you bend over the tub. (There goes my lower back for the rest of the day!)
I did find a few flecks after about half an hour of swishing, so I guess that made it worthwhile. LOL.
(They give you a little plastic tube and you pick the flecks up with the tip of a finger and put them in the water in the tube so gravity will take them to the bottom.)
My partner found some specks of gold in her area of the tub too so, at least the organisation is making sure people get something out of it. Though, the cost of the souvenir to store your specks in is greater than the value of the actual specks you find!
There is also a gold museum you can see after paying your entry ticket, which was pretty interesting.
And on the way out, through the shopping area (!!), you can buy sake with gold flecks in it!
I’ve had sake with gold flecks in it before and it is definitely something to be enjoyed.
The sake still tastes like a reasonable quality sake, so there isn’t really any change to the flavour, but it’s knowing you’re swallowing some gold flecks with it that makes it more exciting.
As gold has been known for millennia to have health giving properties, I see it as “healthy sake”!
I didn’t buy the chocolate with gold in it. A little overpriced for what you get.
If you love the idea of exploring the history of gold exploration on Sado Island, or simply curious about gold panning Sado Island Niigata Japan, you should definitely start here. (At another place on the island you’ll find the Sado Kinzan Gold Mine which offers tours and educational courses. We didn’t have time to do that this time.)
It was an interesting experience and if you have kids, I’m sure they’d love it. Well, up to the age of 7, I’d guess.
(Quick video of me panning below.)
