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sado island: general info
· city links
· history
· getting there
· getting around
things to do
· hostels
· tours
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SADO ISLAND
Calling Code: +81 259
Long a remote place of exile for political dissidents, including a deposed monarch, Emperor Juntoku, and the militant 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.
If there's a place you've stayed or something you've done, but we haven't listed, review it for us!
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