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Before you go
Your trip to Sado.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Sado – Niigata
How to get there
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Porto de Ryotsu 12 km
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Porto de Ogi 30 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Ryotsu Port receives high-speed boats and ferries from Niigata in about 1 hour 7 minutes and 2 hours 30 minutes. Ogi Port receives the ferry from Naoetsu, which does not operate in winter. Buses connect Ryotsu with Aikawa and Ogi.
How many days
Two days: one for Aikawa and the mines, with Senkaku Bay; another for Ogi and Shukunegi. With three days, add the island center and the ibis park.
When to go
From spring to autumn, when the sea is calmer; August for the Earth Celebration. In May and June the island is usually green and less crowded. In winter, boats are cancelled more frequently.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
It helps a lot: the island is large, and buses between Ryotsu, Aikawa and Ogi have few departures. Without a car, use bus tours from Ryotsu and taxis.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Sado
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Morning
Aikawa Mines
Go from Ryotsu to Aikawa and visit the gold mines, with the Sodayu and Doyu tunnels and the split mountain.
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Afternoon
Kitazawa plant and Senkaku
See the ruins of the Kitazawa processing plant in Aikawa, and follow the coast to Senkaku Bay.
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Late afternoon
West coast
Watch the sunset over the sea from Aikawa’s coast.
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Evening
Aikawa or Mano
Sleep in Aikawa or at an onsen hotel on Mano Bay.
2 days in Sado
Day 2
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Morning
Shukunegi
Head south and walk the lanes of Shukunegi, with the sengokubune ship museum.
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Afternoon
Tub boats in Ogi
Take a tub boat from Ogi harbor and return by boat to Ogi or Ryotsu.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
Which port should you use to reach Sado?
Ryotsu, with boats year-round from Niigata. Ogi, in the south, receives the ferry from Naoetsu, generally from late March to late November.
Does Sado have an airport with flights?
The island has a small airport with no regular flights. Arrival is by boat from Niigata or Naoetsu.
What is the Japanese crested ibis?
A bird, the toki, which disappeared from the wild in Japan and was reintroduced starting from Sado. The Toki no Mori park, in the island’s center, displays the birds and the breeding programme.
What to eat in Sado?
Squid and fish from the Sea of Japan, rice from the Kuninaka plain, persimmon from Okesa and sake from the island’s breweries.
Beyond the guide
