Toi Kinzan, Izu

Clamber into Toi Kinzan, the second most productive gold mine in the country. Operational during the Edo period, it provided valuable material for the production of the currency of the time. Here you'll have the opportunity to walk down a 400 m (1,312 ft) long, restored mining tunnel, furnished with animatronic dioramas demonstrating the working processes employed deep in the rock. Most of the information is in Japanese, but there are simple written English explanations describing the tools and techniques used. Across from the mine, you'll find a museum with further models and information, as well as the novel opportunity to spend half an hour panning for gold, with the chance to take home whatever bounty you find during this time. The museum also displays the world's heaviest gold bar, which weighs in at an incredible 250 kg (551 lbs). To visit Toi Kinzan on your trip to Izu, use our Izu sightseeing tool.