Overview
The Taio Gold Mine, in the Taio area of Nakatsue in Hita, Oita Prefecture, is a former gold mine now opened as an underground museum. Worked from 1898 to 1972, it was once one of Japan's foremost gold mines, at its peak out-producing even the famed Sado mine. After closure, part of the old workings was opened to the public, and today visitors can walk an underground tunnel of roughly 800 metres to feel the atmosphere of the shafts and see how the ore was once dug. A roadside station on site also makes it a handy base for exploring this mountainous region.
Highlights
- ●A history of yielding 2.3 tons of gold a year, more than the Sado mine
- ●A walk-through underground tunnel of about 800 metres
- ●The scale of workings totalling some 110 km and reaching 500 m deep
- ●A mountain sightseeing base combining museum and roadside station
History
The Taio mine was discovered in the Meiji era and mining began in 1898. At its peak between 1934 and 1938 it yielded 2.3 tons of gold a year, surpassing the Sado mine to become the most productive in Japan. During its early-Showa heyday around 3,000 people gathered here from across the country, and a mining town grew up around it. Exhausted of ore, it closed in 1972; in 1983 part of the old tunnels was fitted out as an underground museum, and in 2000 it was reborn as the Taio Gold Mine roadside station.
Access
The site is in the Taio area of Nakatsue, Hita City, tucked into the hills near where Oita, Fukuoka and Kumamoto prefectures meet. It lies inland toward Nakatsue from the JR Hita Station area, and as public transport is limited a car is the convenient way to arrive. Check opening hours and admission for the tunnel tour via official information.
Best season
Because the temperature inside the tunnels stays steady all year, the mine is cool and comfortable to tour even in the heat of summer. The surroundings are deep mountain nature, so pairing a visit with a drive is a delight amid the fresh green of early summer or the autumn foliage. Check event details via official sources.
Map
33.1390, 130.8940 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Arrive at the Taio Gold Mine roadside station in Nakatsue, Hita City
- 2Walk the roughly 800-metre tunnel of the underground museum to feel the mining past
- 3Learn from the exhibits about the heyday mining town and Japan's top gold output
- 4Rest at the roadside station and continue your drive through the border hills
Did you know?
💡 The tunnels reach as deep as 500 metres underground and total around 110 kilometres in length, though everything below the fourth level is now flooded. About 800 metres are open for tours, offering a glimpse into the underground world that once produced 2.3 tons of gold a year.
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