Sado Island

kuninaka

There are a number of temples connected with the Nichiren faith on the island, including Konponji 根本寺, built on the location of his exile, Myōsenji 妙宣寺 and Myōshōji 妙照寺.

Close to Konponji, Seisuiji 清水寺 is a Sado version of the Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto. The Japanese caracters are the same... for a good reason : the temple was built for locals to be able to pray in Kiyomizudera without having to travel to Kyoto.

Mano Goryo

真野御陵, in Mano, is actually the resting place of the enshrined Emperor Juntoku.

Sado History and Traditional Museum

佐渡歴史伝説館 (http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~srdk/), located close to Mano Goryo, is a small museum about local legends, with displays from the craft master Sasaki Shodo. One of the tourist "attractions" for a lack of better word is the former US soldier Charles Jenkins , who as of 2008 works at the souvenir shop of the museum. You will probably recognize him after the dozens of photographs with Japanese TV celebrities found all over the place, and many tourists actually pose with him.

On the road from Ryotsu to Hatano, you could stop at the Nogaku no Sato 能楽の里 (http://www.sadonoeki.com/). The building, with two large Noh masks placed on a tower, is easy to spot. It could be described as a museum/fun park dedicated to all that is Sado-ish. See the unforgettable Noh performance by animatronics.

Sado is home of the Toki Japanese Crested Ibis, however there are no wild Ibis left in Sado the last known wild Japan-born Japanese Crested Ibis died in 2003, so visitors should head for the Sado Toki Preservation Center (http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/~ibis/) in order to watch the famed birds from afar. The center is in Niibo, roughly in the middle of the island. As of May 2006 there are about 100 Ibis on the premises. There are plans to release Ibis in the wild at the end of 2008.

kosado/ogi

Between Mano and Ogi on the road to Akadomari, look for the Nashinoki-jizo 梨の木地蔵, a small shadowy place in the woods dotted with hundreds of small statues or jizo, to which local fishermen pay their respect and which are said to cure the disease of children.

The Ogi Coast 小木海岸, near the town of the same name, although not as rugged as the Northern coast, is nevertheless very enjoyable. Take your time and visit the Rengebu-ji temple 蓮華峰寺 near the town.

On the south coast, close to Ogi, lies the small and picturesque harbour of Shukunegi 宿根木 with traditional wooden houses reminiscent of the Edo period. This settlement is close to Yajima-Kyōjima 矢島経島, one of the most famous places on the island to try Taraibune see Do section

West of Ogi and very close to town itself is the Sadokoku Ogi Folk Museum 佐渡国小木人俗博物館, housing hundreds of everyday life items from old and less old times. The display is somewhat chaotic, but it is still an interesting place to visit. The museum also houses a full-scale replica of a 19th century freight vessel, with plenty of explanations about the role of Sado as a major stop on old naval routes.

In Hamochi 羽茂 near Ogi, Marudai, a Miso maker offers the possibility to visit a Miso production facility, with a small Miso museum. Entry is free (http://www.e-sadonet.tv/~...).

o-sado/aikawa

Sado Gold Mine

佐渡金山 Sado Kinzan. Located in a former gold mine and filled with animatronic figures showing the misery of life in the mines. Admission ¥700, open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM. Located three kilometers from Aikawa,

Sado's coastline is quite scenic, full of rocks, cliffs, gorges and more. Particularly well known are the Sotokaifu Coast 外海府海岸 and its Senkaku Bay 尖閣湾, to the north of Aikawa.

The huge Ōno-game 大野亀 rock over 160m high is on the Northern coast of the Island, with a small sand stretch joining it to the mainland. In this area is also located the Futatsu-game formation 二つ亀, two islands said to look like two turtles. Between Futatsu-game and Ono-game lies a Sainokawara 賽の河原, a limbo for dead children according to Buddhist mythology. This spooky place is located at the entrance of a cave, dotted with small statues and dolls, right on the coastline.

The windy Ō-Sado Skyline road, joining Kanai金井 and Aikawa 相川, climbs through the slopes of Mt Kinpoku 金北山 Kinpoku-san for some very nice views of the whole of the island, especially around the spot called Hakuundai 白雲台. The road is closed during winter end of November to April. The area around the summit of Mt Kinpoku is a restricted area under the supervision of the Japanese Self-Defense forces. It is possible to treck from the road to the summit, but previous necessary authorizations should be obtained.