Former Aikawa Detention Branch

Overview

The Former Aikawa Detention Branch, located in the Aikawa district of Sado Island, was established in 1954 (Showa 29) as the Aikawa Detention Branch of Niigata Prison and was in use until 1972 (Showa 47). Designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan, its interior is open to the public free of charge. You can see the rooms and corridors where prisoners once lived, preserved almost exactly as they were. The wooden structure, with its faded walls and floors, and iron-barred windows, evokes a sense of the harshness and melancholy of that era. The building, remaining untouched since its closure, exudes a unique atmosphere as if time itself has stopped, allowing visitors to imagine the lives lived within. It has even been used as a filming location, making it a site of interest for movie fans. If you visit Sado Island, be sure to check it out!