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MIYAGI / IWATE

The Story of Michinoku Gold ーZipangu, the Land of Gold: Tracing the Origins of Japanese Goldー

Zipangu, the Land of Gold —that is how Marco Polo once described Japan. Japan’s first gold was produced roughly 1,300 years ago. A journey begins to trace the “Japanese heritage” of gold.

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What to visit

Tenpyo Roman-kan

This sightseeing facility consists of Japan's first gold history museum, a gold panning workshop, and a gift shop. Koganeyama Shrine and Kugane-an Matcha Room are next door. Much of the gold that once covered the Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple inNara was produced here in Wakuya, Miyagi (then known as Oda District,Mutsu Province). It is said that the area near Koganeyama Shrine is the exact place where this gold was panned. At Tenpyo Romankan, you can learn about the history of this gold and try your hand at gold panning.

Tamano-yu

Rikuzentakata lies along the Pacific coast of Tohoku, one of the small cities devastated by the 2011 tsunami. Although the devastation, and the Miracle Pine which survived it, are what the city is known for nowadays, Rikuzentakata was once a major center of gold production. Tamano-yu is a hot spring tucked away at the foot of the Tamayama gold Mine site, a historic mine which once produced large amounts of gold. It offers luxurious “gold leaf ice cream,” soft serve wrapped in real gold leaf. Seafood figures prominently into the local cuisine, as one would expect of a coastal city.

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