View

Akadomari Folk Museum is housed in the Akadomari Sogo Bunka Kaikan (Cultural Centre). You will be welcomed by a parade float called the "Odori Yatai (literally: dance float)", which imitates a festival. The 1st exhibition room introduces festivals from all over Sado, such as deity mask dance. In the 2nd exhibition room, folk materials collected from the Akadomari area will give you insight into the history of the villagers' struggles. There is a special section featuring Kaitaro Hasegawa, a native of Akadomari who was a very active novelist under three pen names: Fubo Hayashi, Itsuma Maki, and Joji Tani.

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."

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,

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.

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.

Kodomari in the Hamochi area prospered from masonry, together with the adjacent Tsubakio area in Mano. Masons in Kodomari also gained a widespread reputation as sculptors of Buddhist stone statues. Millstones used to be one of life's necessities, but with the progress of the times, they slid into obscurity. The mound of millstones was founded by locals to express regret. In 1977, millstones at each household were collected and and then dedicated to Hakusan Shrine in the area.

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.

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).

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.

Kaichoji Temple is an old temple of Soto Zen School located in the middle of the hill leading down to Yajima and Kyojima. The two trees of Goshozakura variety of cherry blossoms in front of the main hall are said to have been planted by Emperor Juntoku himself. Each branch produces a blend of single- and multi-layered white flowers, which are very rare, and the cherry trees at Kaichoji Temple are designated as National Natural Monument. Cherry flowers are in bloom from late April until early May.

Kobie Shrine used to be a shrine for enshrining the tutelary deity that protected Rengebuji Temple, and was located within the precinct of the temple. It was later separated from the temple, and became a village shrine in the Meiji Period (1868-1912). The stone-built torii gate and main hall, enclosed in an ooiya (a layer of building covering the building inside), are both registered as National Important Cultural Properties. According to the inscription carved on the torii gate, the gate was constructed by Kaiyu, the head priest of Rengebuji Temple, with offerings from Nagayasu Okubo, the Deputy for Sado (later the first Commissioner for Sado) and his brother, Yasumasa Okubo. The thatched worship hall hosts a ritual every February, called "Ta-asobi (rice field work) Shinji," to pray for a good harvest.

Sitting along Route 350, Kodomari Hakusan Shrine features a well-kept precinct and buildings. The shrine is believed to have originated from a small shrine built by a samurai warrior of the Taira clan, who was defeated by the Minamoto clan in the late 12th century. Kodomari flourished as a masonry center along with the adjacent Tsubakio community in the Mano area. Spectacular lion-dog statues welcome visitors to the precinct, which is known for its mound of millstones, where ones that were no longer in use were once collected from households and dedicated to the shrine. Repaired in 2012, a Noh stage stands to the right of the shrine building. The stage is comprised of main and rear stage areas, and is equipped with a chorus area and a "noble passageway" (where nobility could pass without bowing), as well as a space to hang the big temple bell that appears in "Dojoji," one of the great Noh plays. The wall at the back has a painting of a pine tree, and the one on the east side has a painting of bamboo. The passageway connects the stage and the room behind the curtain where actors prepare, and that room is attached to the worship hall. This Noh stage is designated a City Cultural Property.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Saiwaimaru is a Japanese-style wooden ship which belonged to the Kan-uemon Hasegawa family who were in the shipping business for three-generations in old Teradomari Town. Later, it was donated to Ogi Town. The ship made round trips over the Sado Straits until 1961, carrying daily commodities from Teradomari, and bamboo, charcoal and firewood from Ogi. Saiwaimaru measures 19.1 metres in length and 3.8 metres in width, with a mast height of 13.0 metres, and reminds us of the booming shipping industry of the olden times.

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.

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.

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.

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.

An ancient temple tucked away in the back of the Shukunegi village, Shokoji Temple was founded in 1349 as the first Jishu School temple in Sado. On the Sanmon main gate, there still remains a munefuda [an inscription related to the building], written in 1717, and this gate is one of the oldest pieces of architecture in Shukunegi. Shokoji has been enshrining the Tokai Benzaiten (literally means sea-crossing goddess of the sea), since the olden days. It has continuously been worshipped as a guardian deity protecting against shipwreck, and as a goddess of artistry. A master artist, Mahori Hogan Yoshitaka, donated his painting entitled "Tokai Benzaiten" to the temple. Shokoji Temple is one of the temples on Sado's Seven Gods of Fortune pilgrimage route. Within the temple precinct, there is a graveyard of Shuzo Shibata, a Shukunegi-native who studied Western Studies in the late Edo Period (early 19th century), and later drew an elaborate world map.