Sado Island Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle (Niigata Dep.)

5.0
(1 reviews)

10 hours (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: Japanese and 1 more

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed guide and private vehicle is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Sado Island from Niigata City!

Sado Island is well known as the “island of exile” or the “island of gold” for being deeply connected with historical figures, tradition, and ancient culture. It’s one of the largest Japanese islands, located 32km off the coast of the Niigata Prefecture. Even with so much to offer its visitors, it remains one of Japan’s best off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Please select 3-5 sites from a list in the tour information.

Jet Foil Schedule Option ①
07:55 — Depart from Niigata Port
09:02 — Arrive at Ryotsu Port (Sado Island)
16:25 — Depart from Ryotsu Port
17:32 — Arrive at Niigata Port
Sightseeing time: approx. 7.5 hours

Jet Foil Schedule Option ②
09:40 — Depart from Niigata Port
10:47 — Arrive at Ryotsu Port (Sado Island)
17:55 — Depart from Ryotsu Port
19:02 — Arrive at Niigata Port
Sightseeing time: approx. 7 hours

What's Included

Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list'
Private vehicle in Sado Island
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
The ferry fares: the adult single fare Niigata-Ryotsu on the Jetfoil 7180 yen with return 13750 yen
Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
Pickup details:

Your guide will meet you at Niigata Port and accompany you to Sado Island. Your driver will be waiting for you at Ryotsu Port on Sado Island.

*The ferry fares are not included in the tour price. The adult single fare Niigata-Ryotsu on the Jetfoil is presently 7,180 yen with return 13,750 yen (As of August 2023)

Jet Foil Schedule Option ①
07:55 — Depart from Niigata Port
09:02 — Arrive at Ryotsu Port (Sado Island)
16:25 — Depart from Ryotsu Port
17:32 — Arrive at Niigata Port
Sightseeing time: approx. 7.5 hours

Jet Foil Schedule Option ②
09:40 — Depart from Niigata Port
10:47 — Arrive at Ryotsu Port (Sado Island)
17:55 — Depart from Ryotsu Port
19:02 — Arrive at Niigata Port
Sightseeing time: approx. 7 hours

Itinerary

Duration: 10 hours (approximately)
  • 1

    It takes an hour from Niigata port to Ryotsu port of Sado Island by Sado Jetfoil.Adult: 13,190yen、Child: 6,620 yen(For yourself and your guide)

    1 hour 30 minutes Admission ticket not included
  • 2

    At Sado, the round tubs can be freely and easily maneuvered, which resulted in them being used as fishing boats. At Rikiya Kankō Kisen at Ogi Port, you can experience riding on this Tarai Bune.

    1 hour Admission ticket not included
  • 3

    Shukunegi is a settlement near Ogi Port, located on the southern side of Sado Island. Here, some 100 wooden houses crowd together on a narrow strip of land facing the sea. Shukunegi is characterized by its complicated and narrow alleys and the houses of shipwrights and freight vessel owners from around 1850 still exist. It is the only Group of Traditional Buildings in Niigata Prefecture. You can also take a tour of the extravagant residences that portray the splendor of the time when prosperity was abounding due to commerce along the Kitamaebune, a shipping route from around 200 years ago that went from Osaka to ports in Hokuriku on the Sea of Japan, then later on to Hokkaido.

    1 hour Admission ticket free
  • 4

    The scientific name of the crested ibis is “Nipponia nippon,” and it was a bird that could be seen normally around East Asia. However, due to hunting and environmental destruction, including the use of pesticides on fields and forestry development, from the middle of the 19th century, their numbers started to drop rapidly, and even in Japan, there were only about 20 of them left in 1960. In 2003, Japanese crested ibises became extinct.

    1 hour Admission ticket not included
  • 5

    The Sado History Museum is recommended if you want to learn about Sado’s history and legends. Sado was established as a penal colony a long time ago, and Imperial Families, aristocrats, and other cultured people were sent there. In this facility, among them, Emperor Juntoku, Nichiren Shonin, the sect founder of Nichiren, and Zeami, the founder of noh, are reenacted using robots. You can observe their state at the time through speech and dances.

    1 hour Admission ticket not included
  • 6

    At Sado Kinzan, you can explore and observe up close “Dohyu-no-Warito,” the symbol of the Sado mine, tunnels dug by hand in the Edo period, and machines and tunnels made with modern technology. It was active from the start of the 1600s to 1989, for almost 400 years, and the tunnels that were continuously dug spread out like an ant’s nest for a total length of approximately 400km. Apparently, this is about the distance between Sado and Tokyo.

    1 hour Admission ticket not included
  • 7

    Along with Sadokinzan, we highly recommend dropping by Kitazawa Fuyūsenkōbaato, which translates to "Kitazawa Flotation Plant Ruins"! With bare concrete and covered in vines, this facility was the first facility in Japan to use a method of extracting minerals called flotation. Apparently, it processed at least 50,000 tons of ore in a month and was of such a scale that it was extolled as the "largest in the East." Now, only the infrastructure of the building remains, and this dynamic space that is becoming one with nature is open to the public. Visitors are free to explore it and can also look at the group of mining facilities within the compound. The sight of it being lit up at night, which only takes place for a limited period of time, packs a real punch.

    1 hour Admission ticket free
  • 8

    At Sado Nishimikawa Gold Park, visitors can experience the actual panning of gold dust on Sado. It works by using a green plate with lines on its side called a pan to shake and remove gravel in water; the relatively heavier gold dust will appear at the bottom. It is an activity that we highly recommend experiencing when visiting Sado.

    1 hour Admission ticket not included
  • 9

    If you want to enjoy Sado's diverse and magnificent coastal landforms, we highly recommend visiting Senkakuwan Bay, which has been designated as a quasi-national park. Shokakuwan Bay is made up of five bays on a coast spanning three kilometers in the Aikawa district. The fifth one, Ageshima Fjord, can be accessed by crossing a bridge and provides a sweeping view of the area.

    1 hour Admission ticket not included

Additional info

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchair accessible
Supplied by Japan Guide Agency
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Full-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Private Sightseeing Tours
Historical Tours
Ports of Call Tours
Water Tours
Car Tours
Shore Excursions
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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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Rating

5.0 Based on 1 1 review
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