ATTENTION:

THIS SITE IS CURRENTLY INACTIVE. WE MOVED TO THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN NAGANO DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. YOU CAN NOW FIND US AT WWW.REALLYRURALJAPAN.COM WHERE WE OFFER HIKING TRIPS AND RURAL EXPERIENCES IN THE KISO VALLEY AND INA VALLEY. WE ARE LEAVING THE SITE UP AS AN INFORMATIONAL RESOURCE ONLY AND WON’T BE ABLE TO REPLY TO EMAILS.

 Sadogashima

佐渡島

In three words: Drums. Seafood. Exile.

Recommended for: Anyone wanting to see rural Japan.

Population: About 55,000

Size: About 850 km²

In brief:

Located in western Japan and part of Niigata prefecture, Sadogashima, also known as Sadoshima, Sado Island or even Sadoga Island, is Japan’s 6th biggest island after the Okinawa main island in 5th. The large population is spread out over a pretty big place that actually resembles capital letter ‘H’ in shape. So despite it feeling like a built up town in parts, you get an incredible feeling of rural life on most of the island.

For 1,000 years Sado was a place used to exile political enemies and criminals. Rich with history, gold mines were established in 1601 and saw more exiles moving to Sado to work under terrible conditions in the mines. In modern times there was a tourism boom and a tourism downturn. And nowadays a lot of the islands economy is based on delicious seafood. Earth Celebration Festival happens once a year in summer and is one of Japan’s premier music festivals specializing in taiko drumming.

Getting there: 

Sadly direct flights to Sado Island no longer exist. To get to Sado you need to catch a boat from Niigata Port. To get to Niigata Port you first of all need to get to catch a bus or a train to Niigata Station, or you can fly to Niigata airport. From the station or the airport there are buses or taxis running to the port. Once there, there are boats. You can either catch the slow cheap boat for 2,380 yen one way taking 2 and a half hours, or the high speed jet foil costing 6,390 yen taking 1 hour. These boats arrive in Ryotsu Port on Sado Island.

One other route leaves from a smaller port town of Naoetsu and arrives in Ogi Port in Sado. It takes 2 and a half hours and costs 3,780 yen one way.

Getting Around:

Car/Scooter

As is usual for the bigger outer islands, there are no trains and the buses are very inconvenient and infrequent so your best bet is to rent a car or a scooter. Be sure to bring an international drivers license with you on your trip! There are several car rental shops especially around the main port town of Ryotsu. With cars from as little as 2,420 yen for 12 hours, contact us to learn how to save a lot on your trip.

Bicycle

A lot of the tourist info centers rent electric bicycles from 2,000 for 24 hours and also allow you to return bikes to different points for a fee. The electric part is pretty useful considering some of the hills that Sado has to navigate. One quick warning is that this is a big island. A bicycle is great for local sight seeing but if you are hoping to travel extensively on Sado, you may want to something more powerful.

Bus

Public buses are widely run but infrequent and slow. Tourist buses offer tours on a full day or half day, which is recommended for people without a drivers license.

Taxi

Taxi drivers can be hired for the day to take you from spot to spot for a day of sightseeing.

Things to do:

Hiking:

In the warmer months the Osado mountain range in the north has the highest peak of 1,172m with some fantastic hiking opportunities.

Shrines and temples:

Myosen Ji - A 5 story pagoda that took 30 years to complete.

Konpon Ji - Nichiren, the creator of the Nichiren sect of buddhism lived here in exile. In the 17th century they built a temple where he lived.

Kinzan Gold Mine:

Once the most productive gold mine in Japan. An English friendly museum and the old tunnels are open to the public.

Tarai Bune Boat Rides:

Small wooden bathtub like boats that were shown in the hit Ghibli movie ‘Spirited Away’ are steered by local people for 500 yen for a small 10 minute trip. The beautiful clear blue water is unforgettable. And the old ladies who drive them are utterly charming.

Skiing:

Believe it or not there is actually skiing in Sado. Though certainly not the best place to ski in Japan it can give you a fun day out in the winter to make your island trip more adventurous and active. Sado Shi Daira Ski Hill is only 2,000 yen for a day pass.

Festivals:

The Earth Celebration is a renowned festival of music and arts hosted by Kodo, Japan’s most famous taiko drumming group from Sado Island. The festival is very popular and tickets can be tough to come by.

noh theatres:

Sado Island is home to one third of the surviving Noh Theaters in Japan. Many of them are located at the island’s shrines.

old villages:

Shukunegi is a beautiful fishing and boat building village over 200 years old with tightly packed traditional wooden houses. Three such houses are open for the public for a small fee.

museums:

Ogi Folk Museum has a huge collection of traditional Sado items including replicas of Japanese boats from hundreds of years ago.

Nature:

Sado is famous for its crested ibis bird. An icon of Japanese wildlife was officially extinct until a successful reintroduction mostly based in Sado Island.

Weather:

Expect hot summers but much cooler than Tokyo, and very cold winters in Sado. Come prepared if you are a winter traveler.