Sado Private Tours
Book a Private Sado Tour with a Local Tour Guide
Sado Highlights Tours
Three Highlights in Sado
Visit iconic spots including Gold Mine, Toki (Crested Ibis) Forest and Shukunegi. Also enjoy genuine Sado sushi lunch and visit a local sake brewery.
Sado half day tour
There are many fascinating tourist spots in Sado. Among them, the most popular spots are Sado gold mine and Toki (Japanese crested ibis) forest park. Basically, these two spots are indoor facilities, so we do not need to worry about the weather. if the weather is nice, Senkaku bay can be another option.
Sado Art, Culture, & Historical Tours
Sado Gold and Silver Mine: Relics tell you 400 years of history
Sado has been well known as one of the major gold and silver production sites in Japan. It has the history of 1000 years. There are four major minig sites in Sado: Nishimikawa alluvial gold mine, Tsurushi silver mine, Niibo silver mine and Sado (Aikawa) gold and silver mine. Sado gold and silver mine was the biggest of all with 400 years of history. Mining in Aikawa started in the late 16th century and was halted in 1989. In this tour, we first visit Sado Gold and Silver Mine Museum, where we enter the Sodayu tunnel which is open to the public. The Sodayu tunnel was dug manually by thousands of mine workers during the Edo period. You can see the whole process of gold and silver production at that time. Then we see some old buildings and a relic built from Meiji to Showa era. These buildings were used to crush, store and smelt ores. Next, we visit the graveyard of Mushuku-nin(people without register) brought in from Edo and Osaka to work as drainage workers. Then, we walk down the street called Kyomachi-dori, once bustled with mine workers, government officials and towns people. Kyomachi-dori street linked Sado Magistrate Office to mining sites. Aikawa town was developed and divided into communities with same occupation. Along the way, we see old buildings, workshops, local grocery store and cafes. We walk past old bell tower, Sado Hanga-mura Museum(print museum) originally built as a district court and Sado Magistrate Office. Finally, we visit Kitazawa area, developed from Meiji to Showa era with modern Western mining technologies to produce gold and silver effectively. Ruined factories, thermal power plant and a 50-meter thickener have remained. Sado Gold and Silver Mine has practiced cutting-edge production methods of each era and you can see the authenticity here in Aikawa. FYI, walking distance is about 3 kilometers.
Hina Doll Festival in Aikawa (seasonal tour in Sado From Mar.3 to Mar.20)
Mar. 3rd is "Girl's day" called Hina Matsuri (dolls festival) in Japan. Households with girls display their Hina Dolls to pray for the happiness and healthy growth of their children. Aikawa town in Sado prospered from the beginning of the 17th century to the late 20th century along with the development of Sado Gold and Silver Mine. People of many kinds of professions moved to Aikawa from many parts of Japan to make a fortune and brought in colorful cultures and traditions which led to create an unique Sado culture and tradition. During this time of year, hotels, sightseeing spots, cafes, shops and even private homes exhibit their Hina Dolls for the public and visitors can enjoy walking in the town admiring dolls from different eras. In this tour, we walk around Aikawa town and visit places where Hina Dolls are displayed. With diverse historical backgrounds, there are many kinds of Hina Dolls in Aikawa, some of them from the Edo period or older, the others are made by modern craftsmen. FYI, No.1 At some hotels and restaurants, you can enjoy special "Hina Doll Festival" lunch. No.2 This is a walking tour in Aikawa, but some of the places are accessible by taxi.
Sado Day Trip Tours
Sado Unique Experience Tours
Sado Tour Reviews
Alan P.
“Above and Beyond”
Cannot begin to recommend Keiichi-san highly enough! I came to the island with the a fairly narrow range of interests and he went out of the way, not only to meet all of my needs, but also to enlist others on the island who had direct knowledge of my field. We spent two amazing days together, exploring some rarely looked at aspects of Sado Island culture. He was prompt, friendly, organized, enthusiastic, and a general delight to be with the entire time! I am hoping to come back to the island in a year or so, and will certainly request his services again. Arigatou gozaimashitta, Keiichi-san!
Keiichi S.
Hello Alan Thank you for a favorable review!! Kei
Michael W.
“Informative and friendly guided tour ”
Kei is a very kind man born and raised in Sado island and very happy to share his information about the island with visitors. He took us to the proposed places for the half day tour and shared a lot of interesting information about the sites, beyond what you could get from the available information displays. Sado is a very special place and I would recommend Kei as a guide.
Keiichi S.
Hello Michael Thank you for a favorable review. I myself had a wonderful time with you! I hope you enjoy the rest of your tour. Kei
Noel L.
“A great trip”
Kei is friendly and speaks good English. It’s fun to hang out with him and he pointed me to many interesting places and made very detailed plan for the day. I would recommend his service
Keiichi S.
Hello Noel Thank you for a favorable review. I myself had a wonderful time. I hope you enjoyed the KODO mini concert and firework show? Kei from Sado
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