©Niigata Prefecture
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Hop on your bike and pedal along the route of old highways to explore gold mines on a cycling journey that takes you through four prefectures
Niigata Prefecture
Explore Niigata, Nagano, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka Prefecture by bike along the Gold Kaido Cycling Route, following the ancient highways that once allowed people, goods and, indeed, gold to travel across the country.
Along the route you will find historic gold mines, beginning with the Sado Gold Mine on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, started by order of the powerful shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who unified Japan. Bike your way to the Kinkei Gold Mine in Nagano Prefecture, Yunooku Gold Mine in Yamanashi Prefecture, and finally, the Toi Gold Mine in Shizuoka Prefecture to complete your journey.
The full route spans around 550 kilometers, crossing the Japanese archipelago from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. Along the way, cyclists can experience the history of the old highways, as well as the changing landscapes that vary from ocean views and sprawling rice fields to the soaring heights of the Japanese Alps.
How to get there
Sado Gold Mine
From Tokyo Station, take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata Station (about 1 hour 30 minutes). From there, take local bus or taxi to Niigata Port (about 15 minutes) and board the car ferry (about 2 hours and 30 minutes) or jetfoil (about 1 hour and 5 minutes) to Ryotsu Port. The Sado Gold Mine is about 1 hour 10 minutes by bus from Ryotsu Port.
Toi Gold Mine
From Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Mishima Station (about 40 minutes). From there, take the Izuhakone Railway to Shuzenji Station (about 35 minutes) then board the bus to the Toi Gold Mine bus stop (about 50 minutes).
Niigata-ken, Nagano-ken, Yamanashi-ken, Shizuoka-ken