Sado Sightseeing Navi｜Welcome to Sado Island with its attractive four seasons and traditional culture! (original) (raw)

2024.10.30

10 Winter Adventures on Sado Island

Most people flock to Sado in the warmer seasons, but a winter visit can be fun, too! You can expect fewer tourists, a peaceful atmosphere, fresh seafood, and snowy scenery. Here's a quick round-up of 10 Winter Adventures to make the most of a trip to the island during the colder months.1. Stay at a Cozy Ryokan Hotel & Enjoy Local Winter CuisineThe best way to enjoy the local cuisine is to stay at one of the many Ryokan (Japanese-style hotels) around the island that offer breakfast and dinner. Seasonal ingredients in winter include fresh oysters farmed in Lake Kamo and Mano Bay, and snow crab landed in Akadomari. Kan-buri (winter yellowtail) is another favorite. For vegetarians, Sado has a bounty of fresh fruit and veg – try the locally grown mushrooms, persimmons, pears, apples, and bamboo shoots. Plus, what better way to warm up in the cold winter months than with a dip in an onsen? Some Ryokan even offer a private attached bath. See a list of accommodations here.2. Make your Own Traditional CraftsTry your hand at the arts of Sakiori and Warazaiku on Sado Island. Sakiori is a traditional art form that involves weaving strips of old cloth on a loom called a Nemaribata. The Traditional Skills Museum in Aikawa offers workshops where you can learn from local weaving artists. (Reservations in advance are required for the winter months.) Warazaiku is the art of crafting rice straw. This handicraft is deeply rooted in everyday life on Sado Island: performers of the traditional masked deity drum dance, ‘Onidaiko,’ traditionally wear rice-straw sandals during rituals. In the rice straw art experience on Sado Island, you can learn how to create your own rice straw art directly from local artisans. Make items like decorative wreaths, coasters, pot stands or traditional Japanese sandals.3. Stroll Around Shukunegi VillageWinter can be a good time to take in the deep history of Sado Island. For those who want to know the cultural heritage of the island deeply, it’s best to hire an English-speaking guide (See a list of guides here) For those who prefer to explore on their own, mark the following down on your map! On the southern tip of Sado Island, about an hours’ drive from Ryotsu Port, lies Shukunegi Village, an old shipbuilder’s town characterized by its crowded rows of over 100 houses built with ship planks and donned with stone-mounted roofs. Designated a Preservation Area for its traditional Architecture, it is fascinating to walk the narrow alleyways of this historical village and imagine what it was like in its heyday when Shukunegi was a high-traffic port for kitamaebune ships traveling north to Hokkaido.4. Explore Ogi Folk MuseumHighlights here include climbing aboard and exploring the interior of a real-life size sengokubune (wooden freight ship) that was built in 1858 in Shukunegi. The museum also exhibits over 30,000 folk materials from around South Sado that you can view up close and in person. The museum is like a time capsule treasure chest filled to the brim, it’s fun to see what you can find.5. See the Sado Gold MineA visit to Sado wouldn’t be complete without stopping by the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, Sado Gold Mine. Here you can explore two mine tunnels that show the remnants of the past – from the time when gold was mined by hand over 400 years ago, to the more modern history of the mine in the Meiji era of Industrialization.6. Tour the Island’s Powerspots Covered in SnowMyosenji Temple is home to the only 5-story pagoda in Niigata Prefecture, which was impressively built by two master carpenters with not one nail or screw in the entire structure. The temple was established around 1278 by a monk of Nichiren Buddhism. Formerly a samurai warrior in Kyoto, he came to Sado accompanying the exiled Emperor Juntoku. The grounds are a calming and peaceful sanctuary, made even more beautiful with a light dusting of snow in the winter months.Seisuiji Temple was established in 808 making it Sado’s oldest temple of note. It feels like forest sanctuary, lined with cedar trees that are several hundred years old, and located on a small mountainous hill surrounded by countryside and rice fields. It may be an interesting visit for travelers who have already crossed the ancient capital of Kyoto off their list. It was built by order of Emperor Kammu as a kind of ‘miniature replica’ of Kyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto. Even the kanji (Chinese characters) for the temples are identical, with different readings - 「清水寺」.7. Explore the Snowy Outdoors with a Snowshoe HikeFor those who want to get outside in nature, Sado offers snowy hillsides, forests, and even skiing. Go for a guided snowshoe hike to a frozen waterfall with Local guide Hiro-san. See his tour details here (in Japanese only) or reach out to him on Instagram directly.You can also go for a hike on one of the trails in the Osado Mountain Range, a stunning beauty with snow-capped mountains and views of the sea of Japan. Some hiking routes are still accessible in winter, so you can bring your own snowshoes (or rent them for 1,000 yen a day at Sado Outdoor Base) and safety equipment to go on a winter hike – but do so at your own risk as routes are not patrolled, and the mountains in Sado in winter generally go untouched. By the end of February, trees on Sado’s highest peak, Mt. Kinpoku, are typically completely covered in snow.8. Adventure to one of Japan's most remote Ski SlopesThe local Daira Ski Area on Sado is tiny, with only one lift, but it is has cred as the only pair ski lift on a remote island in all of Japan. Season start and end is highly variable depending on the snow conditions each year. A day ticket will run you just 2,000 yen (around $13 USD), and rental equipment and gear are available. In general, Daira is open Thursdays to Sundays and on national holidays until the end of February. If you catch it at the right moment in the season, you might just get to experience Sado's powder! Note: to drive up to the ski area, you'll need chains on your tires - or park at Kanai community center and take the shuttle bus (phone reservations required in advance).9. Take a Dip in a Natural Hot SpringAfter all the fun in the cold outdoors, what better way to warm up than soaking in a local Hot Spring? Since the hot springs in Sado are close to the sea, most of them are sodium springs. You can find day-use onsen facilities across the island at the following locations (mainly inside hotels/ryokans). See here for a list of onsens to take a dip in!10. Taste the local Sake For the Sake LoversSado is renowned for its rich sake brewing tradition, so why not tour the island's Five Sake Breweries while you are visiting? While all are celebrated for their commitment to traditional brewing methods, and for the use of high-quality local rice, each has its own distinct style and methods, producing a range of refined sake that reflects Sado’s cultural heritage and pristine natural environment. In winter, the colder temperatures influence the brewing process, allowing for a slower fermentation that can result in richer, more complex flavors. Explore the breweries, enjoy free tasting and learn more about the brewing process. Here's the lineup: Hokusetsu Shuzo, Henmi Shuzo, Tenryohai, Kato Shuzo, and Obata Shuzo. For something a little different, check out Sado’s craft beer at t0ki Brewery. They offer limited edition beers in their taproom, brewed right here on Sado Island.Are you feeling excited for a winter adventure on the island? One thing to keep in mind that only Ryotsu and Niigata ports are in operation during winter (no ferries run to Ogi port). During the months of December, January and February, the Sea of Japan has a tendency to get wild and unstable, with waves that can reach up to 6m high. You’ll want to be aware that when a storm hits, travel to the island can mean a bumpy ride on the Car Ferry, and Jet Foil ferries often experience cancellations. And another note on getting around on the island itself - travel by local bus is possible, but with limited routes and departures, you’ll find it more convenient to either rent a car or hire a charter taxi. (Do note the mountain roads that are closed in winter). So, Sado is definitely an off-the-beaten-track treasure – especially in the winter time, but we think it’s worth the adventure!