Hananoki Inn

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.

There is a sacred cave in the middle of Mt Iwaya at the back of Shukunegi Village. Various Buddha statues are carved into the surface of the rock. There are eighty-eight stone statues of Buddha, imitating the eighty-eight temples of pilgrimage in Shikoku. The place is called "Iwaya-san" by locals. Worshippers stay overnight in the cave, and practise "Nemari Henro (sitting pilgrimage)" discipline, chanting mantras and pilgrimage songs while seated.

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.

Ogi Diving School is a clubhouse and home for divers, situated on an inlet with crystal clear water in Kotoura. It takes just 1 minute on foot to the ship departure point for diving sites. You can also go on an adventure in the mysterious caves in Kotoura. Please relax and unwind yourself at nearby onsen hot spring Ogi no Yu after a day of diving. Guests can have a great time together while eating dishes made from locally-sourced ingredients.

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.

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.

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.

Inayoshi is a popular Japanese restaurant in Ogi. It has earned its reputation for delicious grilled and basted eel. The eel, which is rarely available all year around in Sado, is cooked and glazed with their special sweet sauce that is a signature taste of Inayoshi. Kamameshi (hot pot rice) and rice bowl with sauce-flavoured pork cutlet are also popular dishes. They offer three private dining rooms, set meals and noodles, so families can also have a great dining experience. You can also find their popular bento box lunch and cooked food to take away.