Sado Island, off present day Niigata Prefecture, began to produce gold and silver from the 15th century. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who united Japan in the late 16th century, placed the island under his direct control. This policy was continued by the following Tokugawa Shogunate regime, which established it as a penal settlement. The scroll depicts the mines, processing of the precious metals and other activities. A number of these scrolls exist, at Tokyo University, Kyoto University, The Tokyo National Museuma and the Japanese Government Cabinet Library (Naikaku Bunko). They are thought to have been commissioned by mining officials returning to Edo, as a gift to senior Shogunate officials.

Asian Art Dept.
AGNSW 19 June 2001