Netherland helped Sado Goldmine

Sado Island in Japan Sea has a Gold mine site.

The Mine had been exploited for 388 years from Edo Era until 1989.

According to the latest research, the technology of pumps used in the mines was transferred from Netherlands via China. It was same as that is used for wind mill system in northern netherlands.

There are researches the pump system is said to be used later for the development of new fields not only in Sado but Niigata on Honshu.


The mine is now registered the tentative Lists of World Heritage last year.

The site has tour courses which offer you experiences to know how the mine is like by
exploring the site.


Further Information on Sado Gold Mine(English)
http://www.sado-kinzan.com/en/

View It is Niigata Map in a larger map

Winter Has Come

Niigata Local Meteorological Observatory announced they observed 3 cm snow in Uonuma City yesterday, which is the first observation in this season.

Furutsu Hachiman Kohun tomb

Furutsu Hachimanyama Kohun was a ancient tomb built about 1,600 years ago located in Akiha ward, Niigata city.
Recent study by the city's archaeological center found it had been built by a cutting edge method at the time which is a mixture by methods used for tombs in East Japan and those in West Japan. It is sixth time to find such a mixed tomb in Japan. The center inferred that the person who had constructed the tomb must be a very influential man in the region because he had called building engineers from west Japan.

The tomb is located in Furutsu Hachimanayama Iseki(Ruins), which 11 hectare site designated as a national historical relic site in 2005. 

The ruins is open to public excluding under excavation site like tomb written above.
You can find some tombs and ancient villages like restored pit houses in the site. There are also a museum of the ruins.

Niigata Claimed Championship

Niigata Albirex Baseball club beat Kagawa Olive Guyners for three successive games to claim their first independent league Championship.

 The play off games was competed between Champions of two Japan's professional indepentleagues BC league(Niigata) and Shikoku Island league(Kagawa) Albirex managed by the former MLB Whitesox and NPB Yakult Pitcher Shingo Takatsu had won the BC League this season for the first time and have progressed into the play-off.

Conglaturations! Niigata Albirex BC

Niigata Albirex Baseball Club Official Web Page(Only Japanese)
www.niigata-albirex-bc.jp/

Weather forcast in Nov. to Jan.

Niigata local Meteorogical Observatory announced three-month forecast in Hokuriku region from November to January. The temperature in the term will be same or higher than usual at 80%.The weather are forecasted cloudy and rainy or snowy as usual.However the region is likely to have usual or little snow in December.

Nutarin Revealed

Niigata city Higashi ward gavornment revealed a new character "Nutarin" for appeaing their activity of with finding Nutari-no-ki

Nutari-no-ki(渟足柵) was said a defencive and administrative facility of Yamato seiken, Japanese first national government to protect incursion of their enemies called Emishi who lived in Tohoku .
It is said to located in somewhere Higashi ward by 7th century, but its exact location and how it looks like are still unknown.

Higashi ward government hold the searching project of Nutrai-no-ki.

London Olympic Games begin in 27th July( some competitions start early).
Five athletes related to Niigata participate in the games
Here are  a list of the athletes.

Sailing(Men's RS-X)
Makoto Tomizawa
Born in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Pref.
Toyota Motor East Japan 

RaceSchedule
31 July Race 1, 2
1 August Race 3,4
2 August Race 5,6
4 August Race 7,8
5 August Race 9,10
7 Ausust Medal Race

After ten races, the ten best athletes progress to the medal race.

Football(Men's Competion)
Gotoku Sakai
Born in Sanjo, Niigata Pref.VfB Sttutgart

Daisuke Suzuki
Born in Tokyo
Albirex Niigata

Game Schedule
First Round, Group
26 July(14:45BST) vs Spain
29 July(17:00BST) vs Morocco
1 August(17:00BST) vs Hondurus
Two best teams of each group progress to knockout stage.

Athletics Women's 400M Hurdles
Satomi Kubokura
Born in Hokkadio
Niigata Albirex Running Club

Round1
5 August(19:00BST)
Semi Final
6 August(20:15BST)
Final
8 August(20:45BST)
All the races are held at the Olympic Satdium


Megumi Kamionobe
*Back-Up player
She could register to the team if someone couldn't play due to an injury.
She will stay with the team during the competition.  

Born in Kanagawa Pref.
Albirex Niigata Ladies

First Round, Group F
25 July(17:00BST) vs Canada at City of Coventry Stadium
28 July(12:00BST) vs Sweden at City of Coventry Stadium
31 July((14:30BST) vs South Africa at Millennium Stadium
Top two teams of the group go through to the knockout stage and two best third placed teams of all the three groups also progress.