Where to Go on Sado Island

01

Shiawase Jizo

Overlooking a plain on the southern part of the island you will find Shiawase Jizo, a 17.5 meter-high statue of the Bodhisattva. According to some accounts, this is the largest Jizo statue in the world. The statue was built by a villager in 1982, and it has since grown to become a popular tourist destination. At the foot of the statue you’ll find a small temple where many smaller jizo statues are on display.

02

Ogi Town

Ogi is a small yet very charming town near the south-western edge of the island. In the town, you will find a quaint shopping street with some cafes and restaurants, as well as independent shops selling alcohol, clothes, and books. In August every year a few noteworthy events take place here, including parts of the Earth Celebration festival, as well as Ogi matsuri, where the biggest fireworks show on the island attract a large crowd. A popular activity in Ogi is to ride a tarai-bune, a barrel-shaped ship that is used to collect shellfish and seaweed from the shallow coastal waters.

Travel Guide

03

Shukunegi

Shukunegi is perhaps the most picturesque settlement on the entire island. The town is an old fishermen’s village, and many of the wooden buildings that line the streets are close to 200 years old. The village used to be the center for shipbuilding on Sado Island several hundred years ago, although not many traces of this remain today. A replica of the kind of ships that used to be produced here is on display at the Ogi Folk & Sengoku Ship Museum, located nearby. Behind the residential part of Shukunegi, you’ll find an atmospheric temple surrounded by lush vegetation, where countless stone statues are placed on graves and on shelves carved out of the nearby hillside.

04

Terraced rice fields

Sado has several areas with terraced rice fields. One of the most beautiful is found near the village of Iwakubi, next to the southern coast. From the viewpoint located 350 meters up on the steep mountain, you’ll be treated to a splendid view of the approximately 460 rice paddies that make their way along the mountainside, and with glittering waters of the Sea Of Japan far down below. Another famous rice field on Sado is the Ogura Senmaida, located further inland, on the hillside of Mt Oji, the highest peak of the mountain range that spans across the southern part of the island.

05

Futatsugame

Futatsugame is a striking rock formation located near the northernmost tip of the island. The name means “two turtles”, and it’s not difficult to understand why once you see the contours of this steep hill, covered with green grass. During low tide, there’s a small beach that connects Futatsugame with the mainland, that makes for a perfect spot to go for a swim during the hot summer months. There’s also a small hotel and a campground located nearby. 4 kilometers further to the west you’ll find a similar looking rock called Onogame. The spots are connected via a scenic hiking trail, so close to the sea that you can feel drops of water hit you when bigger waves reach the shore. Futatsugame has been awarded two stars in the Michelin Green Guide.

佐渡島