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Sawata Beach is just a 2-minute walk from the Kawaharada's Shopping Street. Nestled in Mano Bay, the beach is shallow and the waters are calm. It is conveniently located in the central area of Sado with an easy access to other parts in Sado, and attracts many beachgoers during the high season. There is a range of restaurants and accommodation within walking distance, so this area can be a perfect base for sightseeing in Sado. There is a free campsite, Kubota Campround, in an adjoining pine grove.

Hajikizaki Lighthouse is an octagonal lighthouse located at Hajikizaki in the Washizaki area, the northernmost part of Sado. The lighthouse is known as the location of the film: "The Lighthouse," or "Times of Joy and Sorrow" (Japanese title: Yorokobi mo kanashimi mo ikutoshitsuki), which tells the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife. Hajikizaki Lighthouse was built in 1919. Since then, it has been responsible for assisting the safe passage of all vessels for almost 100 years.

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.

As the first lighthouse built in Sado, its light first flashed in 1895. Himesaki Lighthouse is the oldest, intact iron lighthouse in Japan. As a historical and cultural asset, it has been selected as one of the Top 100 Lighthouses in the World. The elegant, white appearance beautifully contrasts with the blue sky. The nearby Himesaki Lighthouse Visitor Centre displays valuable materials.

As you walk down the parking area, you will reach the Futatsugame Bathing Beach, a popular spot where you can enjoy sea-bathing up close to the Futatsugame Rocks. The crystal clear water and beach have been selected as one of the Top 100 Sea-Bathing Spots in Japan, and was awarded two stars by the Michelin's Green Guide. The beach has stunningly clear water and is a beautiful scenic spot. There is a campsite and the SADO Futatsugame View Hotel adjoining the beach, making it an ideal base for exploring Sotokaifu.

Shinrinji Temple used to look after the cremation mound of Emperor Juntoku. Through the religious reform movement (which promotes shinto and destructs Buddhist temples) in the Meiji Period (late 19th century), Shinrinji was recognised as a prefectural shrine in 1874 and renamed it as Manogu Shrine. Along with Emperor Juntoku, it enshrines Michizane Sugawara (statesman worshipped as a god of learning) and Suketomo Hino (disgraced court noble exiled to Sado). The present shrine buildings were erected in 1920. Torii Gate, Shinkyo (sacred bridge), Shinmon Bridge, and shrine office were newly built, and the sanctuary was enlarged with an extension of the approach. Manogu Shrine treasures a single edged dagger, a ink stone, a fan, a suspension vase, and so on, which are considered as mementos of Emperor Juntoku.

Considered to have been established in 764, Sado Kokubunji Temple (provincial temple) was burnt down several times after lightning strike and great fire. The present-day Kokubunji Temple is located to the east of the old site. The year of establishment is not clearly known, but it is said to be the early Edo Period (early 17th century). Within the grounds lie the main hall as well as Niomon gate with a pair of statues of Buddha's guardians, Rurido Hall, Bell Tower, and so on. The main image of Buddha, a wood statue of Yakushinyorai (Bhaisajyaguru: the Buddha of healing and medicine) survived fires and is installed in the storehouse.

Holding status as the centre of Noh in Sado is the Honma family, present-day grand master and the 18th head of Sado Hosho School. They have been playing a vital role in the promotion and popularization of Noh. Reconstructed in 1885, the Noh stage with its hipped, tiled roof (a Niigata Prefectural Tangible Folk Cultural Asset) has clay pots set under the floor to create good sound effects during performances. It is the most authentic among others in existence in Sado, and the only one that is privately owned. Regular Noh performances are held on the last Sunday in July every year.

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 bronze bell owned by Jinguji Temple is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The bell was originally offered to Shokoji Temple (Hayoshi, Sado) at the end of the Kamakura Period, to wish Nobutoki Hojo (governor of Sado) peace and good luck in the war. According to the inscription carved on the bell, it was cast and dedicated in 1295. When Haguro Shrine was abolished in 1868 on the order of the separation of Shintoism and Buddhism, the followers of Jinguji Temple purchased the bell and dedicated it to Jinguji Temple. The graceful appearance is marvellous.

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.

Mumyouiyaki Gyokudou Kamamoto is a pottery gallery and gift shop with its factory in the Hatano area. You can, not only, see, touch, and purchase potteries, but also create your own pottery at workshops (throwing or hand carving courses), for a fee.

Inscribed with birthplace, posthumous Buddhist names, names and ages of twenty-eight mushukuknin, who worked as a drainage labourer and deceased underground in 1853, a gravestone stands in the middle of mountains. In the Edo Period, to secure labour at the gold mine, 1,800-some mushukunin were forced to come and work in a mine from Edo (present-day Tokyo), and Osaka and Nagasaki, both of which were under direct control of the Edo Shogunate. Mushukunin is people who do not have fixed address arrested under the Shogunate's public security measures. Due to the hard labour, mushukunin is said to have lived a short life.

Sado Museum is a collection of must-sees including drawings by Bakusen Tsuchida, a Sado-native Japanese-style painter. The first floor showcases the collection of gold and silver mines. On the second floor, the museum houses exhibition rooms on the themes of nature, archaeology, history and folklore, and art and craft. The garden is scattered with rocks of Sado and old Japanese-style houses. You can see precious plants in the garden, too.

Odate Tateko is the oldest Western-style shaft in Japan. German engineers and others started excavation of the Odate Tateko shaft in 1875, and it was sunk in 1877. Odate Tateko is vertical haulage with a lift. It is about 5.7 metres by 3.3 metres rectangular , and the final depth reaches 352 metres. The hoist was first operated by horse power, and later powered by, first steam, and then electric motors. Until it shut down in 1989, it had been the focal point for mining activities.

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 scenic spot "Meotoiwa Rocks" is located in front of Salt Factory Sado Kaza Shiogama. Salt Factory Sado Kaza Shiogama is a salt-making hut in the sea breeze blowing off Nanaura Coast. The history of salt production in Sado dates back to ancient times, when salt making used to flourish in the neighbourhood of the factory. Following traditional production methods, mineral-rich brine taken from Meotoiwa Rocks is evaporated over a wood fire. The flavourful salt can be purchased at Meotoiwa Roadside Eatery. You can visit and see the salt production process.

Kuroki Palace is the ruins of the residence where Emperor Juntoku lived after being exiled to Sado as an alleged mastermind of the Jokyu Disturbance in 1221. The shabby palace building constructed using rough-hewn timbers was called Kuroki (black wood) Palace. The present-day mound has been maintained since the Meiji Period (1868-1912), after Kenkichi Kawakami, a local, proposed it necessary. The grounds are covered with many pine trees, including one planted by Emperor Showa, and there are also monuments inscribed with poetry by Mokichi Saito and Hiroshi Yosano.

Sesonji Temple houses a lovely green garden on its ancient grounds. Six temple buildings, including the main hall, are designated as Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties. Morikuni Endo, who was a member of Emperor Juntoku's troop and accompanied to Sado along with Emperor Juntoku, encountered Nichiren (founder of Nichiren School of Buddhism, exiled to Sado) and became a fervent follower of him. Sesonji Temple is a meditation hall established with Nikko, a leading disciple of Nichiren, as the head of the temple. The temple houses a mandala drawn by Nichiren Shonin, and also a drawing of Daikokuten (god of wealth) which Nichiren drew at the beach of Shibute (Mano) at the time of his departure from Sado after being pardoned. Mahori Hogan Yoshitaka, a master painter, donated a painting entitled Shibuya Daikokuten. Sesonji Temple is one of the temples on Sado's Seven Gods of Fortune pilgrimage route. Sesonji Temple is also known for its beautiful azalea.

Tenryohai Sake Brewery has consistently maintained a high quality of sake making. Sake rice "Koshitanrei" goes well with the underground water at Mt Kinpoku, the tallest mountain in Sado. The water produces aromatic, smooth and refreshing sake. Brewery tours are available with a guide within the sake brewing factory, where the precision and skills of brewers and cutting-edge technologies are mixed. A variety of "Tenryohai" brand sake can be purchased at the shop at Tenryo no Sato.

Small rice fields are located side-by-side on a slope of a mountain close to Ogura Dam, along Prefectural Route 181 stretching through Hatano to Oda. Ogura Senmaida is Sado's representative terraced rice fields, and these fields are said to be cultivated to feed an increasing population as a result of the thriving gold mine in the Edo Period (1603-1867). Although the terraced rice fields were once on the verge of being set aside or abandoned, local people now work to manage and maintain the fields by introducing field ownership system from around 2000.

Aikawa Gino Densho Tenjikan offers opportunities to learn about traditional art handed down from generation to generation in Aikawa. The museum offers hands-on experiences of Mumyoiyaki, an art which uses potter's clay produced in the gold mine, and rag-weaving on a traditional back-strap loom with careful instruction by staff members. Pottery by artists in Sado, rag-weaving works, and Bunya puppets are on display. The museum sits right in the middle of the tourist area with Kitazawa Flotation Plant and Aikawa Folk Museum.

Shokoji Temple, close to Kita' birthplace in the Ryotsu Minato area, is a temple for deceased ancestors of the Kita family. His tomb is situated in the Aoyama Cemetary of Shokoji Temple, overlooking the rural landscape of Harakuro (Shiizaki). Although Kita Ikki was a leading thinker and socialist from the Meiji to early Showa times (early 20th century), many people still visit and lay flowers on his grave.

Christianity is considered to have been brought to Sado first in the Edo Period (1603-1867). Ryotsu Catholic Church was founded by a French Christian missionary, Fr. Drouart De Lezey. It was burnt down once in 1883, but was reconstructed by a missionary, De Noailles, in 1887. The church building was designed by Father Papino, who designed many churches in Japan.

Sado milk is delicious with a smooth finish. Cows raised at Clean Milk Production Farm, which has adopted the HACCP system to ensure safety, are healthy, and can produce delicious milk with fewer somatic cells, an indication that the cows are both less stressed and protected from infection. Dairy products made with milk collected from farmers every morning, including Sado Butter and a variety of natural cheeses, have earned a high reputation. Tours to see the packaging of milk and the production process of pudding and yoghurt are available. (The tour takes approx. 30 minutes.)

The Okawa village on the east coast of Sado thrived as a port of merchant shipping during the Edo Period (1603-1867), with shipping agents standing side by side. Tsugami Shrine, a mainstay of this village, houses two well-worshipped deities, a god of safety for vessels on the kitamaebune western shipping route, and a god of good commerce. Tsugami Shrine used to be situated behind the village, and was reputedly relocated to where it now stands sometime before the Genroku era (1688 - 1704). Farther beyond the red Tsugami bridge, the main hall lies and enshrines the sea gods of Sumiyoshi.

Honkoji was founded in 1310 by a Buddhist monk Nissho Shonin, who became a strong believer of Nikko Shonin. It sits in the neibourhood of the ruins of Kuroki Palace, where Emperor Juntoku used to live. The temple treasures a wood-carved standing statue of Seikannon (Goddess of Mercy), a designated National Important Cultural Property, which is one of the four statues that Emperor Juntoku brought with him from Kyoto. The temple also has a Mandala (Sado City's designated Tangible Cultural Asset) drawn by Nikko Shonin, who was a leading disciple of Nichiren Shonin (founder of Nichiren School of Buddhism exiled to Sado).

Sado-no-Kakimochi Honpo produces and sells mochi and other confectioneries prepared only from Sado-produced ingredients, with a focus on individual flavors. The products of Kakimochi Honpo include persimmon mochi pounded with dried Okesa persimmons (Sado's specialty), deep-fried persimmon mochi, yuzu-citrus mochi, yomogi (Japanese mugwort) mochi, egoma perilla mochi and dried persimmons. The products of Sado-no-Kakimochi Honpo are available at Shima Marché on the grounds of Shimafumi on Saturdays and Sundays.

This giant ginkgo stretches its branches in the garden of a house in front of Seisuiji Temple, and locals affectionately call it "Seisuiji's Giant Ginkgo." Ginkgo trees have either male or female flowers, and this giant ginkgo is a male. An estimated 1,000-years old, leaves sprout every spring and turn golden yellow in autumn. Measuring 29.5 meters tall and 16.7 meters in circumference at the base, the crown spreads approximately 19 meters both east-to-west and north-to-south.

Hiyoshi Shrine is familiar to locals, and known as "Sanno-san". The shrine was established in 1226 for Emperor Juntoku, who was banished to Sado, after his high ranking servant, Kiyonori Ike, initiated dividing and re-enshrining the god enshrined at Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Omi (present-day Shiga Prefecture). Many wooden and stone statues of monkeys, messengers of a god, can be seen around the grounds of the shrine. The statues include the "three wise monkeys", which are Mizaru, covering his eyes; Kikazaru, covering his ears; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth. The most important annual festival is held over three days in April.