Event

An annual event! As one of our efforts to create attractive places to visit at night around the island, this year we will again light up the historic Kitazawa Flotation Plant.

This festival is held to comfort gold mine workers and to pray for the prosperity of the mines. The festival includes a Shinto ritual ceremony at Oyamazumi Shrine, known as the "God of the Mountain," a town-wide okesa float, a fireworks display, and other historic events held mainly in downtown Aikawa. The festival is considered one of the three major festivals on Sado Island, along with the Ryotsu Tanabata Festival, Kawabiraki Festival, and Ogi Port Festival.

This festival began when rice was offered to Kisaki Shrine as a prayer for safe voyage in the days when Ogi Port was a port for loading gold and silver. Shinto ritual entertainment, small lion dances, large lions, and devil drums, as well as Shukunegi chitoton and chitoton, etc., make the rounds of the gates. Ogi Okesa" and "Mikoshi" also make an appearance. As the last summer festival on Sado Island, the night sky is decorated with a large display of fireworks.

For those of you who love Sado, the Sado Cultural Foundation presents this workshop. Hear directly from the performers, learn their movements, and experience Sado performing arts rooted in daily life.

Ryotsu Takigi Noh has been playing a role in maintaining the tradition and quality of Sado's Noh performances, obtaining instruction and cooperation from Mr Honma (head of Sado Hosho School). You can see Noh performances in the magical atmosphere of the Noh stage in Shiizaki Suwa Shrine which faces Lake Kamo. Enjoy the traditional art of Noh, developed by the community.

Held in the Sawata area, Sado no Bon "Shishigajo Matsuri" is a festival featuring a mikoshi (portable shrine) parade carried by children, Bon dancing and Ondeko deity mask dance, among others. (Bon is the time when the spirits of the ancestors return home.) The fireworks show set to music, "Firework Fantasy," is popular for the dynamics of launching at close range. Fireworks are set off in rhythmical patterns in sync with a wide range of music.

Kasuga Shrine is considered to be the birthplace of Noh performances in Sado. This Noh stage was built by Nagayasu Okubo, a former Noh actor and Deputy for Sado (later the first Commissioner of Sado), and it was the site of the first ritual Noh performance dedicated in Sado. The present-day stage was transferred, to where it now stands, from the Hamochi area, by volunteer members of the community in 2006. Besides the mysteriously beautiful Takigi Noh, Sado's local performing arts, such as the folk songs "Sado Okesa" and "Aikawa Ondo" are also presented.

A summer festival held by the taiko performing arts group "Kodo" since 1988. Live performances are held on three consecutive nights, each with its own distinct personality! The festival is also packed with a variety of other programs. For more information, please visit the official website.

Myosenji Temple is known for the only five-story pagoda found in Niigata. Within the grounds, there is a grave of Hino Suketomo, who was a court noble forced into exile on Sado and then executed. He is mentioned in the Noh chant, "Danpu," created based on "Taiheiki" (Chronicle of the Great Peace). In commemoration of Hino Suketomo, Myosenji Temple puts on a Noh performance at its annual festival, "In Memory of Hino" on the 3rd of July, the anniversary of his death. At this event, Noh and Kyogen performances are dedicated in the tatami-mat floored main hall with the background of an old pine tree.

Kodo, the renowned taiko drumming group based on Sado Island, is now in its 44th year. This summer, experience a special, intimate performance—exclusive to Kodo’s home base. The event will take place at Ai-port Sado, just a 5-minute walk from Ryotsu Port, the main gateway to Sado Island. Don’t miss this chance to feel the powerful, up-close resonance of taiko drumming!

Ryotsu Takigi Noh has been playing a role in maintaining the tradition and quality of Sado's Noh performances, obtaining instruction and cooperation from Mr Honma (head of Sado Hosho School). You can see Noh performances in the magical atmosphere of the Noh stage in Shiizaki Suwa Shrine which faces Lake Kamo. Enjoy the traditional art of Noh, developed by the community.

Nagoshi-no-harae (purification ceremony over the summer) is held at Kisaki Shrine and Kotohira Shrine in the Ogi area. Participants pass through a thatch ring made of kaya (thatching) wrapped around a large bamboo wheel to purify themselves of the injuries of the past six months and pray for good health for the next six months. In the evening, men and women of all ages gather at the shrine to go through the thatched ring decorated at the shrine, with men going around the ring three times to the left and women going around the ring three times to the right. There is a custom to eat Ayame dango (dumplings made of iris), which are also sold at stores.

Ryotsu Takigi Noh has been playing a role in maintaining the tradition and quality of Sado's Noh performances, obtaining instruction and cooperation from Mr Honma (head of Sado Hosho School). You can see Noh performances in the magical atmosphere of the Noh stage in Shiizaki Suwa Shrine which faces Lake Kamo. Enjoy the traditional art of Noh, developed by the community.

The event takes place in the water of Mano Bay, off the shore of Sawata Bathing Beach. Participants can compete in races of varying distances: 5,000m, 3,000m, 1,500m, and 500m.

At Shoboji Temple, a Noh play is performed in memory of Kanze Motokiyo (Zeami), who was exiled to Sado. You can see a Noh performance in the mysterious light of candles, in the main hall of the temple where Zeami is said to have stayed. Before the performance starts, join the tea ceremony named "Haisho no Tsuki (moon viewed from the place of exile)" presented in the Omotesenke style. Enjoy a cup of maccha green tea prepared with the deep-sea water pumped up in Oda, Hatano, where Zeami landed on Sado Island. On this occasion, a special seminar is also held, and the ritual mask "Beshimi" (a mask with its mouth clamped firmly shut), a Niigata Prefecture's Designated Cultural Asset, is displayed to the public.

A memorial service and dedication dance will be held in memory of Zeami, who was exiled to Sado Island. A sutra reading and incense burning ceremony will be held in front of the stage, followed by a Noh performance. The memorial service for Zeami, who is considered the greatest master of Noh, is attended by performers not only from Sado but also from outside the island.

This is an annual festival of "Shinmeisha" located in the center of town. Two large lions parade through the streets, and oni (devil) drums are also paraded around the town, making their way around the gates as well. The skillful oral performances in front of the houses are also a highlight of the festival. Onidaiko (devil drummers) dance to the accompaniment of lively flutes and drums, with the demons facing each other. Children dressed in happi coats and tasuki (socks) also appear and dance one after another.

Kuji Hachimangu Shrine Annual Grand Festival is presented by three villages. Among the performances dedicated are: to-to (sword dance) of the Nozaki village, and Hanagasa Odori (the flower hat dance) of the Jonokoshi village, which is a Niigata Prefecture Important Cultural Asset. The Ondeko (demon drumming) group from Shimokuji village travels from door to door starting early in the morning, and dedicates a performance to the shrine along the way. This traditional festival also features a portable shrine parade, Yabusame (horseback archery), and a musical procession of children.

Hakusanmaru is the first fully-restored sengokubune (large wooden freight ship) in Japan, and is on display at the exhibition hall of Sado Island's Ogi Folk Museum. Once a year, many people, including locals and tourists, pull the ship out from the hall to the front space, and exhibit it with a gigantic sail (approx. 270 square metres) billowing in the wind. The sail is raised accompanied by Kiyari (a work song), and is well worth experiencing. Anyone can join and pull the ship out of the hall at the festival, and once it's out, you can board the ship and look around for free. The highlights of the festival include performances of traditional folk arts, and stalls selling local specialties.

Anju Tenjin Matsuri is a summer festival in the Hatano area where Anjuzuka (Memorial Mound of Anju in Hatano) is situated. The festival features a portable shrine parade, Harigoma (spring foal dance), a folk dance, and representative Ondeko (demon drumming) groups from five villages in the Hatano area. You can enjoy yakitori grilled chicken skewers along with draft beer, while immersing yourself in live music performances on the outdoor stage on the eve of the festival. During the festival, painted paper lanterns lined up on the shopping street brighten up the night sky.

This competition features several courses set amid the landscape of the entire island of Sado, and attracts 2,000 participants from both inside and outside of Japan. The A-type (long distance) race boasts the longest bike course (210 km/130.5 mi) in Japan, going around almost the entire island. Driving is discouraged on the day of this event so that traffic is minimal, freeing up the roads for runners and bikers, and enveloping them in the supportive cheers of spectators and 5,000 local volunteer staff.

Kuroki Palace used to be a residence of Emperor Juntoku, who lost the Jokyu Disturbance and was forced into exile on Sado. Emperor Juntoku spent twenty-two years in this simple, temporary palace, until he passed away while aspiring to return to Kyoto. A ritual event is held to commemorate the Emperor in this area deeply connected with him.

This is the annual festival of Hakusan Shrine in Shukunegi Village. Chitochinton (a Daikagura Bugaku dance performance using props and designated a Niigata Prefecture Folk Culture Asset), Ojishimai (the big lion dance), and Ondeko (demon drumming) groups parade through the village from door to door, to pray for the well-being of families and success in commerce. In the past, when a freight ship had to pass through a hazardous route, a young sailor dedicated a dance (to pray for safety) to Funadama Myojin (goddess of ships). Chitochinton, reputedly, originated from this dance. This joyful, comical and sexual folk art performance is in existence only in the southern part of Sado. There is a similar one in the Hamochi area, called "Tsuburosashi."

This event has become a well-known food event on Sado Island. Visitors can enjoy traditional performing arts while eating Osaki soba (buckwheat noodles), a specialty of the island, boiled and seasoned fish, and other local delicacies. Many tourists and repeaters come from outside the island, so be sure to make reservations early.

Once a year, the Sado Don’ō Tea Ceremony is held in memory of Don’ō (Takashi Masuda), who is hailed as “the greatest tea master since Sen no Rikyū.” To honor his achievements, the tea ceremony will be held again this year at the Sado Magistrate’s Office, where Takashi Masuda’s father once served. This year, during the two-day event, you can enjoy two tea ceremonies—one by the Omotesenke school and one by the Urasenke school—as well as a light refreshments session on both days. Let’s take a moment to savor a cup of tea during this peaceful autumn season while reflecting on the character and achievements of Masuda Takashi, one of Sado’s great figures.

A festival at Hakusan Shrine with banners fluttering along the seashore. Three groups of demons each perform a different Maehama-style dance. Children with red painted cheeks also participate, taking turns dancing with the adult ogres. In the morning, after the dedication of the shrine, they walk from house to house, beating drums to gate the houses. A large lion parades through the district as well.

Sawasakibana Lighthouse stands on the western edge of Sado Island. The "tarai boats" lined up on the shore give the village an atmosphere typical of Ogi Beach. A large lion makes an appearance at the festival. He walks to 27 houses in the village from late afternoon to early evening. Demons called "gotsu" also appear here and there in the village, chasing children.

This event has become a well-known food event on Sado Island. Visitors can enjoy traditional performing arts while eating Osaki soba (buckwheat noodles), a specialty of the island, boiled and seasoned fish, and other local delicacies. Many tourists and repeaters come from outside the island, so be sure to make reservations early.

Tanabata Matsuri and Kawabiraki is a combination festival to celebrate both the children's Star Festival and to commemorate the opening of Ryotsu Port. The town, mainly the central areas of Ebisu and Minato, bustles with spectators and locals. This event originates from the celebratory event to commemorate the listing of Ebisu Port, in 1898, as one of the top seven ports in Japan. The festival events include: a brass band parade, a children's float parade, a folk song and dance procession, and demonstrations of Ondeko (masked deity dance).The festival closes with a gorgeous firework display.