Aikawa

Today, I had a chance to speak with my employers at the local board of education for the very first time. I learned some important information, such as where exactly on Sado I will live and where I will teach. The city government of Sado actually comprises the entire 330 square mile island, so when I found out I was going to “Sado City” a few months ago, it wasn’t entirely clear where I would be going. Well today I found out I will be staying in Aikawa. Aikawa is a town of about 9,000 and appears to be the 2nd or 3rd largest settlement on the island after the city of Ryotsu and maybe the town of Sawata. Aikawa is situated on the western portion of the island and is a coastal town. Aikawa contains the Sado gold mine, which is perhaps the most famous landmark on the island. This mine was a major source of gold for the Tokugawa shogunate and was actively mined from the 1500s until it was depleted in 1989. Today, it is a popular tourist destination, and the government of Niigata prefecture has been lobbying to designate the mines as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Furthermore, I found out the grade level of the students I will be instructing. I will be teaching at one elementary school and one junior high school and will be teaching classes from 1st grade all the way to 9th. In Japan, 9th grade is still counted as part of junior high school. The schools will actually be located in another town or village on Sado, known as Kanai. Kanai appears to be about a 20 minute drive from Aikawa. Starting next year, however, the board of education informed me I will start teaching in Aikawa itself. In any case, I am happy to finally know both where I’ll be living and who I will be teaching. Quarantine continues to trod along, and I’m looking forward to get to Aikawa soon.