和訳は英文の下にきますが、現在作業中です。 / The Japanese translation is under construction and will follow the English text.
Japan‘s Gold Before Sado Mines Opened
Contents 1. "Japan is a country of abundant gold" 2. The use of gold from ancient to medieval Japan 3. Sado in late Sengoku Period 4. The use of gold from Sengoku to Edo Period
1. “Japan is a country of abundant gold”
A long time ago, some people in China believed that there was a country in the eastern sea that had so much gold that they even made a dog collar with gold.
Later, the rumor spread to Europe and people considered Japan as a country of gold, but it was no more than an illusion. In Japan, on the other hand, people originally thought that gold existed only in Shilla, a kingdom on the Korean Peninsula, or in China.
Therefore, when an aristocrat of Korean origin found gold in today’s Miyagi Prefecture, everyone including the emperor was excited and pleased.
After that, gold became a famous produce from Tohoku Province. As time passed, gold sand was also found in other parts of Japan.
About Sado, a tale from the 11th Century narrates that some people knew how to collect a lot of sand gold.
2. The use of gold from ancient to medieval Japan
From Nara Period (approx. 8th Century) to Heian Period (approx. 9th to 12th Century), gold was used for the following purposes:
(1) Decoration and ornamentation of Buddhist art
Tang dynasty, 8-9 Century,
遣唐使船 Photo by: PHGCOM,
anonymous Japanese painter
8-9th century – 投稿者自身に
よる著作物, photographed
at Japan Currency Museum,
CC 表示-継承 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.
org/w/index.php?curid=9580031による
(2) Trading with China
(3) Funds for people who were sent to the Tang dynasty China on official missions. They were envoys and students to learn the Chinese culture.
After this period, however, those in power in Kamakura Period (approx. 12th Century to mid-14th Century) were not very keen on trading. But the rulers in the succeeding Muromachi Period (mid-14th Century to mid-16th Century) had an extensive trading business with Song dynasty China, and so had a use for gold.
On the other hand, gold was never used as currency during these periods. The Japanese paid with rice for daily necessities, salaries for officials and samurais, and for any labor.
Rice had a “permanent” value. Rice taste deteriorates as it gets old, but you can eat it no matter how old it is. Even today, rice in Japan doesn’t have an expiry date. Therefore, it was commonly accepted as currency.
3. Sado in late Sengoku Period
On Sado Island, the Honmas, an ancient and powerful family, had strong influence. It ended in 1584 when a warlord named UESUGI Kagekatsu of Echigo (Present-day Niigata) invaded Sado and took control of the Island. They say Kagekatsu’s purpose was the sand gold of Sado. This was Sengoku Period, when many feudal lords were struggling for supremacy in Japan.
A few years later, TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi, another warlord, attained supremacy and his government was established. The Toyotomis deprived the Uesugis of exploitation rights in Sado as they did to all the feudal lords and powerful families in other parts of Japan.
Only several years after Hideyoshi died, at the end of 16th Century, the warlord from Mikawa (present-day Shizuoka) TOKUGAWA Ieyasu gained supremacy and was putting gold and silver mines nationwide under his control.
Just at this time, an excellent gold vein was discovered in Aikawa, Sado. The Tokugawas naturally placed Sado mines under their direct control, and aggressive mining and processing started.
This period was the first peak of gold and silver production at Sado mines. The production soon dwindled, but continued, and gold from Sado supported the Tokugawas throughout Edo Period.
4. The use of Japan’s gold from Sengoku to Edo Period
in Sengoku Period /
戦国期の鉄砲鍛冶
Photo by: Ritō Akisato
[et al.] (秋里 籬島 撰),
Shunchōsai Takehara
(竹原 春朝斎) – “Izumi
Meisho Zue” (和泉名所
図会), 1796. (Volume: 1,
Frame number: 13).
The National Diet
Library (NDL) of Japan
– https://dl.ndl.go.jp/
info:ndljp/pid/2563477?tocOpened=1&itemId
=info%3Andljp%2Fpid
%2F2563477&__lang=
en , more info please
see: [1] and [2] and [3],
パブリック・ドメイン, https://commons.wiki
media.org/w/index.php?curid=122785536による
There is something interesting about what we have just seen.
People were aware of the presence of abundant sand gold in Sado already by the end of 11th Century, but there was no powerful figure to capture the island for a long time.
Only at the end of 16th Century, did three lords fight for the island one after another.
It is due to the rise of trading with Ming Dynasty China, Spain and Portugal at that time. Foreign merchants requested payments be made with gold, not with rice, so Japanese merchants and warlords, called daimyos, needed gold.
In addition, the wreck of a Portuguese ship near Tanegashima Island in 1543 had quickly changed the warfare of Japan. The rescued Portuguese captain gave two matchlock guns to the local warlord, and people learned how to make guns from copying them. They began to manufacture them by hundreds, and warlords scrambled to buy them.
There were a few areas where gun manufacturing flourished, and one such place was Sakai, in today’s Osaka. Wealthy merchants in Sakai also ran gun factories, and they requested gold from the lords who placed orders of guns.
From this time, gold became an important part of the Japanese economy.
[End of the English post]
******************************************************************************************
For more on Sado Gold Mines, please continue to read:
=> 1. Travel to Sado Gold Mines
=> 3. A Brief History of Sado Mines
=> 5. The First Magistrate of Sado
