Sado Island understand · Sado Island tourist information
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
Sado Island tourist information
Sado Island tourist information
Long a remote place of exile for political dissidents, including a deposed monarch, Emperor Juntoku, and the buddhist monk Nichiren, Sado experienced a boom during the Edo era when gold was found at Aikawa. A major source of revenue for the Tokugawa shogunate, the mines were worked in horrific conditions by what amounted to slave labor, consisting of homeless people rounded up from the mainland.
Despite this grim history, today's Sado is a pleasant summer getaway of rocky coasts, green hills and quaint fishing ports, with a permanent population of just 70,000. Shaped a bit like an anvil, the largest town Ryōtsu (両津) is nestled in the eastern gap. Ogi (小木) is on the southern coast, while the former gold-mining town of Aikawa (相川) lies to the north.
Although the island has been populated for millennia, a large area of Sado (especially outside the central plain) remains uninhabited. Road access for the Northeastern part of the island can become problematic in the winter after heavy snow. The mountainous geography of the island certainly accounts for this.
The northern half of the island is covered with the Ō-Sado mountain range (大佐渡), the southern with the Ko-sado (小佐渡) mountain range, the Osado range being higher (with peaks over 1000 m). In between, the Kuninaka (国仲) plain is covered with rice fields and is more heavily populated.
The weather is pleasant in the summer, but winters can be harsh. It does not get outrageously cold, but it can get rather windy, and it often snows. Transportation from/to/inside the island can be affected, with canceled ferries and roads closed.
Overall, visitors to Sado will enjoy its nice rural landscapes and its relative "remoteness" from the frenzy of the mainland. It is precisely the kind of old and rural Japan that some travel long distances for.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Sado Island
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Sado Island - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Sado Island hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Sado Island Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.