Iwayasan Cave and Buddha Statues

Hananoki Inn is housed in a 150-year old Japanese house transferred and reassembled on about 3,300㎡ of land. Hananoki stands calmly in the borrowed scenery of mountains, where Buddha statues carved into rock, and the huge Kofuku Jizo statue act as backdrops. Repeat customers return for the wholeheartedly prepared dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. The inn has, on the premises, a pottery factory of the inn's master, Tosei Watanabe. The inn also hosts concerts with unique programming.

Shiawase (happiness) Jizo, a statue of Jizo Bodhisattva (guardian of children), stands at 17.5 metres high including the base, and it is so huge that it can be seen from a distance. A villager revealed the great desire to build a Jizo statue in 1982, and it was completed in the following year. The white, elegant statue contrasts fabulously with the deep green at the foot of mountains in the Togami area. Past the Sanmon main gate, there is a hall of Jizo, where a variety of Jizo statues are installed. Just a short distance from the Jizo statue lies Iwayasan Cave.

Minshuku Takayama is situated behind Shukunegi Post Office in the Takayama area of Shukunegi. Here, you can enjoy delicacies from the sea, such as turban shellfish and abalones, etc. which the master, who is a fisherman himself, catches in a traditional manner on a tub boat. Minshuku Takayama takes pride in hand-kneaded soba (buckwheat) noodles, and they enjoy immense popularity. Guests sometimes enjoy talking and drinking together gathered around the sunken hearth in the lounge. A bottle of Japanese sake (Hokusetsu Kinboshi), bearing Takayama's original label on its bottle, is a perfect souvenir.

Sado Island's Ogi Folk Museum is housed in the building of the former Shukunegi Elementary School. This museum exhibits a magnificent collection of over 30,000 folk materials including tools and equipment of fishery in South Sado and shipbuilders, as well as objects closely related to the everyday life of the common people which evoke the retro ambience of the Showa times (1926-1989). The ship on display was restored based on the design drawings of a sengokubune (wooden freight ship), which was built in 1858 in Shukunegi. The museum is adjacent to the Shukunegi village, a designated preservation area for important traditional buildings and architecture.

Sabo Yamashita is a hearty café in a renovated shed, with tables made from washtub-boats unique to the Ogi area, where they are used locally. Simply sweet zenzai (sweet red bean soup with mochi rice cake) and warabimochi (Japanese jelly-like confectionery) are perfect for a tea break during a stroll through Shukunegi.

Takoboushi is a Japanese-style pub located in a corner in the Shukunegi village. A friendly mama-san (female manager of the bar) awaits you with stylish dishes. Takoboushi serves menu options which emphasize the taste of the season, as well as crowd-pleasing snacks such as Deep-Fried Octopus and Tempura of Squid Dried Overnight. Enjoy dining and the entertaining conversations with mama-san. Curry with turban shellfish and baked turban-shellfish curry topped with cheese are signature menu items at Takoboushi, which attract fans from both inside and outside Sado. Dining only is also welcome.

The first floor of Uoharu is a fishmonger shop, where local fish, caught fresh and purchased at early-morning markets, is sold. The second floor is a restaurant with tatami-mat rooms. Uoharu serves classic dishes, but you can choose your seafood at the shop downstairs and then have it cooked according to your preferred taste. "Rice Bowl with Stewed Abalone" and "Abalone Steak", both of which have captured the media's attention, come highly recommended and add an unforgettable dining experience to your travels.

You cannot talk about dining in Ogi without mentioning Matsuhama. Matsuhama has been the locals' favourite, where they can leisurely enjoy the unbeatably delicious seafood, meat, and drinks. Matsuhama's specialty is a set menu of "Ogi Irifune Gozen", which was created to commemorate Ogi Port's 400th anniversary (reservation required). It is served in a deluxe two-layer box containing sashimi, grilled fish, deep-fried dish, grilled turban shellfish, igoneri (seaweed jelly), and you can enjoy Ogi-landed seafood to the full.