[Day 1] Sado Island, Niigata - A Treasure Trove of Naturals, a Place of New UNESCO Heritage Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Aug 03 2024

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Categories: Niigata

[Day 1] Sado Island, Niigata - A Treasure Trove of Naturals, a Place of New UNESCO Heritage

Sado Island is a gem brimming with amazing gifts from nature, from diverse flora and fauna to charming landscapes and diverse weather stretching from the east to the west of the island. Sado Island is easily accessible from Niigata Port in Niigata City, which is just an hour away. This time, we had the opportunity to experience a wonderful trip to Sado Island, through which we could understand more about nature, people, and the unique culture found nowhere else. In addition, Sado Gold Mine was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on July 27 recently, so this is an opportunity for us to introduce everyone to Sado Island. Let's follow our journey to see how incredible Sado is.

See full listings of restaurants found in and around Niigata.

[Day 2] Sado Island, Niigata - A Treasure Trove of Naturals, a Place of New UNESCO Heritage

The ship used to transport passengers from Niigata to Sado is called the Jetfoil, a service provided by the Sado Kisen sea route company. The ticket price is 7050 yen one way or 13,490 yen for a round trip. In just 1 hour and 7 minutes, passengers can easily reach Ryotsu port on Sado Island. The ship consists of two floors, with a luggage area on the first floor, making it convenient for passengers to move to the second floor without having to carry bulky luggage. Every day, there are five excursions from Niigata and five from Ryotsu, giving travelers plenty of options to match their schedule. Passengers who drive to Sado Island also have the option of using a car ferry.

Shukunegi - The Ancient Town Preserving Long-Standing Cultural Heritage

Shukunegi is an ancient village located at the southern tip of Sado Island. During the 17th century, when Sado's gold mines were at their pinnacle, this small town became a port of call for Kitamae ships. Over 100 wooden-walled houses are still tightly packed in the labyrinthine alleys. The townscape of Shukunegi, where the skills of ship carpenters are gathered, has been designated as a nationally important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings. There, a quiet moment passes where human life and history intersect.

The townscape and unique buildings constructed by ship carpenters are still carefully preserved to this day, just as they were in times past.

Experience Tub Boat in Ogi - View the Two Islands, Yajima and Kyojima

Visitors are experiencing the tub boat, with the red bridge connecting the two islands of Yajima and Kyojima in the background.

Ogi is our next sightseeing stop. Visitors can sit in a tub boat and cruise the water region between the islands of Yajima and Kyojima. The chilly, clear water allows you to see all the way to the bottom, easily showcasing the area's rich flora and fauna. From various types of seaweed to sea urchins and caranginae fish, all can be easily observed from the tub boat.

After the tub boat experience, tourists can take a stroll along the route that connects the two islands of Yajima and Kyojima to savor the natural beauty. The calm blue water, the boundless mountains, the great expanses of green trees, and the red bridge linking the two islands all come together to create a flawless image down to the last detail. With its splendor, this is a must-see destination for travelers visiting Sado.

Lunch with Kaisendon dish at Nagahamasou

After a morning of enjoying Sado's beauties, we stopped for lunch at Nagahamasou. This is a great place to eat lunch when visiting Sado Island. Today's lunch menu is Kaisendon, a seafood rice bowl with over 10 meticulously selected seafood items that provide a delightful gastronomic experience. The meal is accompanied by the obligatory miso soup in Japanese cuisine, resulting in a meal that keeps traditional Japanese traits while also firmly representing local food.

The restaurant's large seating and enormous capacity make it suited for both small and large tour groups. The big windows give a wonderful view of the sea. What could be better than viewing the azure sea and eating wonderful fish collected on the island?

Gakkogura - A place to explore and learn more about Japanese Sake.

Gakkogura is OBATA SHUZO's second sake brewery, renovated from a closed elementary school since 2014. At Gakkogura, sake is made in cool summer conditions using local rice and renewable energy. Each year at Gakkogura, various interesting activities take place, including a 'Special Class' every June or the Gakkogura Sake Brewing Program for those who want to learn more about the meticulous process of making sake step by step.

Mrs. Rumiko Obata, the executive vice president of Obata Shuzo, is introducing the Obata Shuzo and Gakkogura activities.

Here are some photos of the 'Special Class' activities that took place in June over the years at Gakkogura. On the right is the actual image of the class board in the classroom that was used in June 2024. Notably, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, this special class has still been regularly conducted online.

Especially during this visit to Gakkogura, we had the opportunity to taste the special sake lines produced at Obata Shuzo itself, such as KANADEL and Manotsuru, award-winning sake to date. The aroma of sake made from rice grains grown on Sado Island, mixed with the natural sweetness of water, creates sake flavors that perhaps cannot be found anywhere else but Sado.

The place where we enjoyed the sake this time is none other than the Gakkogura Cafe. The former staff room was renovated and opened as a school warehouse cafe in July 2022. With a breathtaking view of the sky and sea, the café is ideal for sake tasting. Sake by-products like sake lees and koji are also used to create the menu in order to limit food waste.

After touring Gakkogura, we had the opportunity to stop by the Obata Shuzo liquor store. Visitors may purchase nearly all of Obata Shuzo's Sake here, including the most costly and award-winning lines to date. This would make an excellent memento present for friends or family following a visit to Sado Island, as Obata Shuzo is the brewery that produces sake from Sado Island's people and nature.

If you think Obata Shuzo has too many sake lines and you're not sure which one you'll like best, you may try some popular sake lines for free at the Obata liquor store. In addition, 12 more Sake lines, including the 2024 award-winning Manotsuru Maho, may be tried for only 200 yen for a glass!

Have a relaxing night at the wonderful Onsen Ryokan - Hotel Oosado.

This time, we'll stay at Hotel Oosado, which was renovated in the spring of 2023. All rooms offer an ocean view, so you can rest while watching the scene change throughout the day. A room designed in traditional Japanese style is a major attraction, especially for tourists who want to fully enjoy a holiday in the Japanese style.

For dinner, we enjoyed a kaiseki course. The restaurant appears to prepare meals that incorporate seasonal tastes specific to Sado, and this time we had a meal that was full of Sado's charms, including the seafood caught from the sea or the stunning Sado’s rice. The staff's friendly service is definitely a plus. Sado's nature, which can be viewed from the restaurant's large window, is stunning from every angle, making it a wonderfully tranquil place.

[Day 2] Sado Island, Niigata - A Treasure Trove of Naturals, a Place of New UNESCO Heritage

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.