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Rikiya Kanko Kisen" is Sado's famous tarai boats. The boat is skillfully operated by a female boatman, inviting a sense of travel. Motorboats are also exhilarating, and Sado's version of the "Blue Cave" tour is also gaining popularity. There is a large parking lot, a store, and a light lunch available, so feel free to enjoy the boat tour.

Yajima Taiken Koryukan is nestled at the back of a cove with a view of Yajima and Kyojima. You can enjoy a tub-boat ride in the picturesque scenery of the Sado Geopark and Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Park. The centre also offers an array of workshops such as fishing from the rocky shore, dried squid making and soba (buckwheat noodles) making. (Please contact the centre for details.) At the eatery, you will experience the delights of soba and udon noodles with nagamo seaweed.

The world of ZERO above sea level, touring in a handmade hanpiri (tub boat). Since ancient times, the hankiri has been an indispensable fishing tool in the lives of the people of the Ogi Peninsula. Each boat is handmade using only cedar and bamboo nurtured by the nature of Sado Island. With the streets of Shukunegi behind you as if you have stepped back in time to the Edo period, the boat cruises leisurely through the otherworldly rocks created by the earth over a long period of time. This is an eco-friendly and slow cruise guided by a local Ogi-ben boatman.

Just one among the rich variety of Kotoura caves, Ryuodo Cave is called "Sado's Blue Grotto," and is the largest lava rock cave on the island. Like the Blue Grotto in Italy, the sunlight creates a beautiful blue reflection and the waters glow brilliantly on days of mild weather and sea conditions. Sea kayak tours are available, providing participants with a chance to navigate into the cave and enjoy an otherworldly view.

Yajima produces good-quality Japanese arrow bamboo (Pseudosasa Japonica).The arrow which Yorimasa Minamoto, a samurai warrior in 12th century, fired to exterminate nue (a frightening imaginary bird in old stories like chimera) in the Tales of the Heike is said to be made from Yajima-grown bamboo. Kyojima is where Nichiro, a Nichiren (buddhist monk)'s senior disciple, drifted to because of a storm, when he brought a discharge paper for Nichiren, who had been exiled to Sado. Kyojima was named after legend that says Nichiro spent a night reading sutras (経 kyo in Japanese). In the beautiful setting with two islets which a red arched bridge connects, you can take a tub boat ride.

Having been a port since the medieval times, Shukunegi went through the prosperous 17th century brought about by Sado Kinzan Gold Mine, and developed as a kitamaebune port of call for the merchant shipping industry. Facing a small inlet, Shukunegi is characterised by the crowded rows of over 100 houses built with plate walls made from ship planks, and it has been designated as a National Important Preservation Area for Traditional Buildings and Architecture. Three private houses are open to the public (admission charges required), and the entire Shukunegi village represents a history of involvement in ship-related industries.

Connected with Sado Kisen's Ogi Port Terminal, Ogiya is a shopping centre offering a great selection of Sado specialties. The selection includes sea products, traditional crafts and famous confectionery. The cafe/restaurant offers a wide variety of menu options, such as kamameshi (rice cooked in a pot) with fresh seafood and set meals. Their specialty menu is "kamameshi with squid". The sumptuous dish consists of "Toki to Kurasu Sato", special rice recognised by Sado City, which is cooked in special broth, and colourful toppings of seafood including squid, shrimp and scallops, plus bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms.

Watatsu Shrine is dedicated to Isotakeru, a god of Japanese Shinto, and it is worshipped by islanders as a god of traffic safety. This is one of the nine shrines listed on the shrine register of Engishiki (Regulations of the Engi era), and a high class shrine called Ichinomiya. It is said that its precinct, old documents, etc. were flooded out in 1470 and as a result the shrine was relocated to where it stands now. Its origin and history is not clearly known. Watatsu Shrine is a famous spot for the first shrine visit of the New Year, and many islanders visit there from all around Sado.

Fusubemura is a hands-on learning centre located in Kodomari, with an accommodation available on-site. One cottage contains a dining room, living room and bedrooms for five people, and this is perfect for families and groups of friends. While staying in the spacious centre, you can enjoy making your original pieces of work in workshops including classes for pottery, rag-weaving, bamboo craft, etc. The surrounding natural environment such as Sobama Bathing Beach is also fascinating.

Sunrise Jogahama is an inn located in Akadomari, in the refreshing environment of southeast Sado, that offers hands-on experiences. As the name suggests, you can see the sun rising above the horizon from guest rooms. In front of the inn lies Jogahama Bathing Beach and behind it are mountains abundant in nature, making Sunrise Jogahama ideal for school trips and training camps as well as ordinary stays and banquets. Workshops on offer include soba noodle-making, fishing from a rocky shore, and folktale retelling, providing a glance at the culture of Sado.

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.

Sado Island Taiko Centre is run by Kodo Cultural Foundation, located on the hill in the neighbourhood of Kodo Village. The spacious hall constructed using Sado-produced timber produces joyful resonance. Tatakokan is home to two huge taiko drums that were hand-carved from an enormous 600-year-old keyaki (Japanese zelkova) log. "Taiko Experience" programs led by the Taiko Centre's instructors and a range of other events are on offer. The hall, exhibition room and a Japanese-style room are also available for rent.

Hokusetsu Shuzo Sake Brewery was established in 1872. Hokusetsu is a dry, smooth sake, which evokes images of heavy snow in the northern provinces. Committed in their passion to Sado's water, rice, climate and people, Hokusetsu wholeheartedly makes sake which can only be made by Hokusetsu, and explores the various possibilities of sake with sensibilities suited to the times. Sake produced by Hokusetsu is loved at Nobu restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, London, Milan, and Dubai, among others, which attract celebrities from around the world.

Rengebuji Temple was established by Kukai (Kobo Taishi, who founded the Shingon school of Buddhism) around 806, since Sado is considered to be an unlucky direction from the Imperial Palace. Rengebuji Temple is said to have been built on the order of Emperor Saga, and is one of the holy places of the Shingon school of Buddhism, along with Kongoji and Murouji Temples. Kobodo Hall, Kondo Main Hall and Kotsudo Ossuary are designated as Japan's Important Cultural Properties, and sixteen other buildings and halls within the precinct are registered as National Tangible Cultural Properties. The hydrangeas come into full bloom in July, and the scenery is breathtaking.

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.

The Osaki community is located up the Hamochi River, which runs through the mountains. Here, the tutelary Hakusan Shrine stands side by side with Miyamotodera Temple. The neatly-built stone walls are beautiful, and after passing through the torii gate, the worship hall encased in the protective forest comes into view. This serene place symbolizes the Osaki area, where sophisticated nonmaterial culture is being nurtured. Inhabitants in Osaki hand down various performing arts such as Chobokuri (the phallus dance) and Bunya puppet theatre, and are thought to be particularly enthusiastic about Noh performances compared to others in Sado. Comprised of a main stage area and a rear stage area, the Noh stage within the compound has a thatched hipped roof and a main entrance on the gabled side. The wall at the back has the traditional painting of a pine tree, and there is a space to hang the big temple bell that appears in "Dojoji," one of the great Noh plays. In recognition of its role in handing down Noh culture, as well as the value of its architecture, this stage has been designated a City Cultural Property.

Japan Amateur Masterpieces Museum is located adjoined to the Ogi Library. This is one of the rare museums in the world that exhibits only amateur artists' works. The final work by Shikita Nakagawa, a native to Ogi who brought passion into teaching art to amateurs, is on display. You will find oil paintings by British Prime Minister Chuchill and Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, and a monochrome ink painting by Soseki Natsume, an outstanding Japanese novelist of the Meiji Period (1868-1912).

A paradise of untouched beauty - welcome to Sado Island's Sobama Beach. This breathtaking stretch of golden sand and clear waters spans four kilometers, offering an escape where time stands still, and the only footprints in the sand may well be your own. Far from the bustle of town, with just small villages lining the shore, Sobama Beach is a hidden paradise quickly becoming the ultimate base for exploring Sado’s wild heart. Catch the sunset here, and watch the sky ignite in hues of gold and crimson as the sun dips below the horizon. Free campsites with showers and BBQ spots tempt a summertime adventure under the stars, while the nearby Sado Seaside Villa offers private escapes complete with hot tubs and an inground pool.

Sawasakihana Lighthouse is situated in Sawasakihana, on the tip of Ogi Peninsula around the ending point of Prefectural Road 45 (Sado's Ring Road). The first light was flashed in 1928, and the present lighthouse building is the reconstruction from 1987. Akiko Yosano, a famous poet (1878-1942) wrote a poem inspired by the lighthouse when she visited Sado. With its height of over 24.2m, the tallest in Sado, Sawasakihana Lighthouse provides a vital role in maritime safety in the southwestern sea of Sado.

The Ogi Coast stretches about 16 km from Shiroyamadai in Ogi to Mikoiwa in Sawasaki. The varied coastline, formed by volcanic activity, is designated as a Japan National Monument and Scenic Site under the name of Sado Ogi Coast. The area is home to many scenic spots, such as Yajima and Kyojima, Nansenkyo, and a plateau of pillow lava in Sawasaki. The Ogi Coast is also known for its tub-boat fishing, on which people can get around rocky shores easily.

Jogahama Beach is a tranquil beach with a width of 150 metres. With clear water perfect for swimming, the beach features impressive white sand. You can enjoy the sand on the clean, small-scale beach, making it perfect for families with small children. As the beach is conveniently located next to the accommodation "Sunrise Jogahama" which offers day-trip hot spring services, you can refresh yourself with a hot spring bath after sea-bathing.

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.

Namidaimoku Monument (literally means wave mantra) stands in the shore of Maura, where Nichiren Shonin, founder of Nichiren School of Buddhism exiled to Sado, departed from Sado after pardoned by the Kamakura Shogunate. According to the lore in the area, when Nichiren put his palms together and prayed to the sun aboard a boat offshore, seven letters of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo (南無妙法蓮華経) appeared in the waves. Closely related to Nichiren Shonin, the Maura area has many legends, and is dotted with sacred places including Nichirendo Hall, Nichiren Cave, etc.

Dairenji Temple is a temple of the Soto Zen school of Buddhism established in 1421 as a temple to take care of ancestors of the Honma clan, Lords of Hamochi Castle. The sanmon main gate is the east gate of the castle (Niigata Prefecture's Historic Site), which survived destruction in a siege by Kagekatsu Uesugi (lord of Echigo), and was later relocated. This temple served as accommodations for successive Deputies for Sado and officials in the Edo Period (1603-1867). Within the precinct, there are the 500 Arhats Hall, created by a sculptor of Buddha statues in the Edo Period; Kannondo Hall, enshrining a secret Buddhist icon, Maria-Kannon (Mary statue in Kannon disguise); and Hotei (god of good fortune) Hall worshipped for wealth and happiness. Mahori Hogan Yoshitaka, a master painter, donated his painting, entitled "Amazawa Hoteison." Dairenji Temple is one of the temples on Sado's Seven Gods of Fortune pilgrimage route. Referred to as a temple of camellia flowers, Dairenji Temple is familiar to locals,

Ogi Specialty Development Center sells only Sado-produced vegetables, fruit, fish and seaweed all year round, especially those produced on the Ogi Peninsula, also called Ogi Misaki. This shop sources local vegetables, rice, fruit, prepared foods and seafood only from NPO members who provide a traceability standard or organic operation record. For example, the Center produces and sells imomochi (sweet potato cakes) and dried sweet potatoes from Sado-grown organic sweet potatoes. The Center ships products to every part of Japan.

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.

Shiroyama Park is located up on a hill facing the sea. After hiking the steep, cobbled path to the top, a large, open green stretches out before you. The park features trail paths, a resting point, a viewpoint and a monument inscribed with a poem written by Koyo Ozaki, a famous novelist and poet closely associated with the area. The park is filled with seasonal flowers: about 3,000 camellia trees come into full bloom from the beginning of February until early April, 500 cherry trees, dwarf azaleas and hydrangea. Shiroyama Park is a popular relaxing place among locals in the Ogi area.

Impressive stone light towers stand along the front path leading to the worship hall. Kusakari Shrine was called "Hachioji Gozutenno" around the middle of the Edo Period (early 19th century), and worshipped as a god of agriculture. It was later called Gion Hamochi Shrine for a time, and then renamed after the old name of the village "Kusakari no Sato," in 1870. Kusakari Shrine is known for offerings of bonfire Noh performances, and a kind of kagura (dance and music dedicated to gods) called "Onimai Tsuburosashi," (designated a Niigata Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Asset) performed at Hamochi Festival held annually on the 15th of June. The Noh stage (also one of Niigata Prefecture's Designated Tangible Folk Cultural Assets), which is considered to have been built before the Meiji Period, has a hip-and-gable thatched roof in front and a hipped roof at the back. The structure blends well with the idyllic landscape, whilst projecting a stately ambience.

The cherry tree of Hojobo sits in Hamochi Osaki, a place known for the Osaki Soba (buckwheat noodles) Festival. Branches stretch out as if they are cuddling up to the thatched roof house on the site where Hojobo Temple used to be. The tree is said to be 250–260 years old, measuring 21 meters tall and 6.9 meters in circumference at its base. The crown stretches 26 meters both east-to-west and north-to-south. The tree marks the timeline of farmwork, and locals affectionately call it "Hojobo's sowing cherry."

Perched on a hill projecting out into the port, the ruins of the castle built by a castle lord in the late 16th century have been converted into a park for the public. The observation tower serves as an exhibition hall for Akadomari's many folk tales, and bronze sculptures depicting scenes from the stories are on display on each floor. Enjoy a panoramic view in 360 degrees: from the lush mountains behind to Akadomari Port right down the hill, and the Echigo mountain range across the sea.