About Tour Guide Fujiko M.

Shukunegi - the village of sengokubune, sailingship of Edo era

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

FROM$54/ per group

6 hours

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

2 hrs 30 mins

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.

Sado Gold and Silver Mine: Relics tell you 400 years of history

FROM$75/ per group

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.

Hina Doll Festival in Aikawa (seasonal tour in Sado From Mar.3 to Mar.20)

FROM$34/ per person

7 hours

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

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

FROM$54/ per group

6 hours

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

2 hrs 30 mins

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.

Sado Gold and Silver Mine: Relics tell you 400 years of history

FROM$75/ per group

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.

Hina Doll Festival in Aikawa (seasonal tour in Sado From Mar.3 to Mar.20)

FROM$34/ per person

Reviews

Marie R.

5 / 5

Sep 30, 2025

Marie and Tim Rhodes Sado one day tour

Sep 30, 2025

7 hours

Customized

“10 stars if it was allowed”

We booked a one day tour with Fujiko to be shown around Sado before self exploring the following day and let me tell you, she blew our socks off with stories, laughter, surprise spots, and a wealth of knowledge. She was overly impressive and it seemed like anywhere we went, she knew someone. Even at our hotel! (and she lives 30mins away from where we stayed). Equally impressive is her schedule and work ethics (land owner, former farmer of rice fields and persimmon orchard), tour guide, weekly shifts at a small historical village, and taking care of two residences. She had a fun and lively vibe to her and by the end of the tour we shared hugs and photos of the day. So many highlights to mention, from the itinerary she created for us, to the surprise spots at local shops and markets for goodies and fruit snacks. Highly recommend Fujiko for both Sado and other Niigata tour guide services!!

Fujiko M.

Hi Marie san and Tim san, I can't say nothing but thank you so much for writing such a wonderful review of the tour with 10 stars!! It was such a nice encounter and I was so happy to be your guide. Not only telling about Sado but I also enjoyed general conversation with you. What I like about being a tour guide is that I'd like to be a "go-between" between my guests and local people. Today, you are on your own and I hope you enjoy interacting with other wonderful Sado locals! Please enjoy the rest of the Japan tour and hope to hear from you in the near future! Best regards, Fujiko

Heike E.

4 / 5

Apr 20, 2025

Heike Group Murakami and Fukushimagata Discovery Tour

Apr 20, 2025

7 hours

Customized

“Auf den Spuren den Lachses in Japan”

Es war ein interessanter Ausflug im Zeichen des Lachses. Sehr schön war auch, eine ruhige und nicht so sehr touristische Stadt zu sehen. Fujiko war sehr pünktlich, sowohl sie als auch der Fahrer waren sehr an unserer deutschen Kultur interessiert.

Fujiko M.

Hello Heike san, Thank you very much for writing the review of the tour. I feel happy that you enjoyed the quiet yet history-rich Murakami city. Please explore more about Japan more in the future with your wonderful friends! Best regards, Fujiko

Justin K.

5 / 5

Dec 10, 2024

Justin K Sado 1-day Discovery Tour

Dec 10, 2024