Experience Sado Programs

Let’s go paddling and enjoy the dynamic natural life of Ogi Peninsula. The ever-popular Sea Kayaking Experience is a great adventure and perfect way to appreciate the clear and beautiful water of the Japan Sea. Even if you are a beginner, don’t worry! An experienced instructor will guide you through the excursion.

Ogi Peninsula’s landscape is the “art of mother earth”. This bus tour, accompanied by a local guide, travels through the dynamic natural environments and the little farming and fishing villages of Ogi Peninsula.

Even within Niigata prefecture famous for its sake, Sado is known for its exceptional water and rice used for its sake and has many breweries. The popular Obata Brewery, has taken on a new mode of sake brewing through its Schoolhouse Project using the former campus of Nishimikawa Elementary School. For this visit, participants will tour the brewery and taste the sake brewed on the premises.

In the mountain ravine there is a quiet farming town of Hamochi Osaki where you will find residents who live rich lives with a deep appreciation for nature. On this tour you will enjoy simple country cuisine and have your fill of fragrant soba as you are introduced to a host of the folk performing art forms of Hamochi Osaki. This includes the very rare opportunity to see Bunya puppetry, designated a significant intangible folk cultural asset by the Japanese government.

On this tour you will enjoy simple country cuisine and have your fill of fragrant soba as you are introduced to a host of the folk performing art forms of Hamochi Osaki. Following lunch and a performance, you will be able to take a leisurely stroll around the village of Hamochi Osaki. By the end of this tour you will no doubt be a fan of the village.

In the northern part of Sado there are Japanese cedars that are over 500 years old. Within that area, there is a “virgin forest” which is home to giant cedars that are kings among the forest. Come experience the powerful energy of nature from the cedar forest that has survived the harshest winds and snows of countless winters.

In the northern part of Sado is Iwayaguchi village, a quiet village surrounded by the great outdoors: sea, mountain and river. It is a place where the natural scenery has been left untouched where you can experience a traditional way of life. Since you’ve come all the way to Sado, we invite you to experience normal island life as a true islander.

The town of Ogi that is host to the main events at Earth Celebration was a thriving port city for precious metals during the Edo period. The site of upheaval on the ocean floor created by an earthquake over 200 years ago can be seen in Ogi and there the vibrations of the earth can still be felt. Enjoy this stroll with a professional guide.

The center of Mano Bay is a calm sandy beach. There are plenty of marine sports activities to enjoy including thrilling banana boat rides and jet skiing.

Standup paddleboarding is a popular marine activity that involves riding a surfboard standing up and using an oar to maneuver. Sobama is a beautiful sand beach one kilometer long. Come enjoy the ocean at Sado.

Experience life on a farm by staying overnight in a farmhouse inn! The Kanai area is in the center of the island near Sado’s satoyama landscapes. The host is a unique family enjoying life on a farm. Your visit to Sado isn’t complete without experiencing everyday life as an island farmer.

Niibo area is home to the Crested Ibis, and the residents here have developed farming methods to protect their habitat. Enjoy this relaxing day in a typical Sado fashion: take a stroll through the beautiful satoyama landscapes and taste the local soba noodles produced by the buckwheat harvested in this region.

Sado is known for its active noh theatre community and many farmers on Sado also are active noh theatre artists. Come experience the art of noh theatre that has been passed down for generations. After rehearsing in a resident’s home, participants will have the chance to set foot on the Daizen Shrine Noh Stage.