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Hina Doll Festival in Aikawa (seasonal tour in Sado From Mar.3 to Mar.20)
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Joined 2015
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.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Aikawa Tourist Information Center
Varieties of Hina Dolls displayed in Aikawa town
Ending Point
Aikawa Tourist Information Center
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee
transportation fee for the guide (1000 JPY)
Taxi fare from place to place if necessary
Tour Important Information
Important message from the supplier
Booking should be made 3days in advance.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2015
About Tour Guide Fujiko M.
Hello! My name is Fujiko Maeda. I'm a national-licensed tour guide. I was born in Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata Prefecture. I once worked in tourism industry for about 10 years when I lived in Tokyo. Now I'm a persimmon farmer but when time permits I'm happy to guide you here in Sado mainly but also other places, too. We have a lot to offer like beautiful nature, historical sites, local specialties, traditional performing arts, festivals, islanders smiles and so on.
If you'd like to know real Japanese lifestyle, please visit Sado.
I'm sure you'll be satisfied.
Let's explore Sado or other wonderful and beautiful places with me!
Also, if you have any questions about Sado or Japan as a whole, please don't hesitate to email me.
Reviews
Diana L.
“Fujiko is a lovely guide who gave me a great tour of Sado Island!”
Fujiko is not only knowledgeable about Sado but also very kind and warm-hearted. After joining a tour with Fujiko, I feel as though I have a much better understanding of Sado from the perspective of someone born and raised on the island. Through my tour, I could see how the community of locals on the island is very close, as we came across many people who shared a friendly exchange with Fujiko and offered me a warm welcome. Fujiko also introduced me to a delicious restaurant where I could enjoy seasonal fish and meet her cousin. She also went out of her way to give me a chance to taste other treats made by others on the island trying to revitalize the local community. I hope to visit Sado again in the near future to see and experience more of the community!
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Fujiko M.
Hello Diana san, Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful review of the tour. The wave was good, the weather was good, no snow, you are so cute and the tour went well and I'm so happy! Yes, Sado has a lot more to offer and I will wait for your next chance to come to Sado in the near future. I guess it will be a foody tour on the island next time! Please enjoy your life in Japan and see you soon:) Fujiko
Heidi T.
“Lovely guide!!”
Fujiko was so helpful and knowledgeable in the area. She brought us around Sado island according to the places that we mentioned that we would love to visit. She spoke English so fluently and went out of the way to make us feel comfortable and taken care of. Extremely happy to have met her and gotten her as our guide!
Fujiko M.
Hi Heidi san, Thank you very much for writing such a good review of the tour. We didn't have enough time and visited only 3 places in 5 hours. But we saw snow left in Iwakubi rice terraces, enjoyed tub boat ride and strolled in Shukunegi village. Sado Island is completely different from Singapore and I hope you enjoyed beautiful nature even a short period. Wish you a happy new year 2026!! Fujiko
Daniel "danny" K.
“You want the best, go with the best”
Fujiko has an awesome personality, speaks very good English. She's all for being flexible and very accommodating. As we like to say in Hawaii: "Fujiko, she's da bes". Also our driver Keike may not be the best driver but he's sure hard to beat. Much mahalo Fujiko and Keike for making our trip to Sado Island a very memorable adventure.
Fujiko M.
Aloha Danny san, Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful review of the tour. I have to say to you all that you're da bes,too! It was surely one of the best tours I've ever guided and I appreciate it very much. Please explore more beautiful places in Japan in the coming years. Mahalo from Sado, Fujiko
$33/ per person
More tours by Fujiko M.
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Niigata City one day tour of your choices
Located on the Japan sea side of mainland Honshu, about 2 hours bullet train ride from Tokyo, Niigata city has been flourished as one of the major port towns for centuries. Along with this historical background, Niigata city is now well known for delicious "koshihikari" rice, varieties of tasty sake, fresh products from both land and sea. In this tour, you can choose 3 or 4 places to visit for 7-hour sightseeing tour. We mainly use public transportation networks like Niigata city loopline bus service ( one-day ticket JPY 500 ) and taxi if necessary. The places of choices are as follows: 1. Niigata City Aquarium "Marinepia Nihonkai" Displaying both marine and fresh water fish in the region and aquatic animals. Dolphin shows are performed daily. JPY 1500 Closed from Dec.29-Jan.1, Mar.3,4 2. Pia Bandai Fish and vegatable market with restaurants popular for locals and tourists. 3. "Imayotsukasa" sake brewery There is a guided tour and you can sample tasty sake. 4. The Niigata Saito Villa Built about 100 years ago, this gorgeous villa and Japanese style garden attracts visitors all year round. JPY 300 Closed on Mondays, from Dec.28-Jan.3 5. Minatopia with Former Niigata Customs House There are also Former Daishi Bank building and Niigata City History Museum by the Shinano River. 6. Former Ozawa Family Residence Authentic machiya-style house with beautiful garden from the Meiji Period. JPY 200 Closed on Mondays, from Dec.28-Jan.3 7. Honcho Market Located on the bustling Furumachi ( old town ) district, vendors sell all kinds of food with reasonable prices. * vendors are less on Sundays 8. Strolling Furumachi district for 1 hour Furumachi was once known as geigi (geisha) district like Kyoto and there are many restaurants, temples, old and new buildings in this area. * you can combine this choice with the Saito Villa or/and the Ozawa Residence (both in Furumachi district). Please choose places you'd like to visit and email me. Let's have fun in Niigata city!
Niigata City one day tour of your choices
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Shukunegi - the village of sengokubune, sailingship of Edo era
This small coastal village once prospered as the center of shipbuilding industry during the Edo era. After the Meiji Restoration, the industry fell into decline due to the overall Westernization and the development of other transportation networks like railways. The village was once almost forgotten. However, the descendants stood up to restore the legacy of their ancesters and have been working hard to keep it. Building the exact replica of the old Edo-era sailing ship shows their enthusiasm and solidarity. In this tour, we stroll in the village, visiting one of the ship owner's house called "Seikuro" which is open to the public. You can see the skillfully built houses by ship carpenters. Then we visit Sado-koku Ogi Folk Museum which houses the exact replica of the old sengokubune ship called "Hakusan-maru", thousands of folkcrafts, household utensils, ship carpenters tools and more. Shukunegi was registered as the district of the Groups of Traditional Buildings. Once you step inside, you are in the maze of Edo era. * Special notice: "Seikuro" will be closed until Mar.31 Sado-koku Ogi Folk Museum will be closed on Mondays until March, 2016 Also closed from Dec.29 - Jan.3 for new year holidays. *Special choice: If some of the facilities are closed, we can go to Iwayasan Cove nearby to see 88 stone statues for a short pilgrimage.
Shukunegi - the village of sengokubune, sailingship of Edo era
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Murakami city Sake Sake one day tour
Murakami city is located in the northern part of Niigata Prefecture. The city was flourished during the Edo period as a castle town governed by the Murakami clan. It is famous for "鮭-sake-salmon", "酒-another sake-Japanese sake", "Tsuishu" lacquer ware, Machiya houses, Murakami beef, Murakami green tea, Hina doll festival and more! In this tour we visit several must-see places in this diverse city. 1.Kikkawa: A shop selling salmon products. You will be surprised to see so many dried salmons hung from the ceiling of the shop. 2.Taiyo Sake Brewery: You can sample some of its products like "Taiyozakari". 3.Machiya houses open to the public ( some of them are shops selling salmon products, green tea, blacksmith, restaurant and so on. 4.Iyoboya Kaikan (salmon museum): You can learn why Murakami city became famous for salmon. Murakami city has succeeded in preserving old-style Japanese houses and you can enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere it produces. It is mostly a walking tour(about 3-4 km) and we may use loop bus or taxi accordingly. You can take Uetsuhonsen line from Niigata to Murakami, about 1-hour by local train.
Murakami city Sake Sake one day tour
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