{"id":75601,"date":"2021-02-10T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-10T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=75601"},"modified":"2021-02-09T11:37:56","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T02:37:56","slug":"sado-island-niigata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/sado-island-niigata\/","title":{"rendered":"A Day Off the Beaten Path Exploring Niigata’s Sado Island"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sado Island has a richly-diverse local tradition and community <\/strong>off the west coast of Japan near Niigata City (\u65b0\u6f5f\u5e02). Known as one of the prime climates in Japan for growing rice, the island is full of fields and farms and a host of unique experiences for travelers seeking to make the short ferry ride from nearby Niigata city. On Sado, mountains line the distance no matter where you travel, and the crispness of the air speaks both of the island\u2019s history<\/a> and its distance from the hustle of city centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oceanic Beauty, Mountains, and Fields of Rice of Niigata<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Rice fields and homes of Sado Island in autumn<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The ferry ride to Sado from Niigata presaged the quiet and calm of the island to come. The dark blues and iron grays of the ocean and clouds made for perfect companions to clear my mind on the way to Sado\u2019s relative isolation, while the ferry\u2019s warm interior \u2013 complete with restaurant and nap rooms if you so wish<\/strong> \u2013 provided shelter from the deck\u2019s biting autumn cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The mountains of Sado overlook its rice fields like stewards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Landing on Sado, I wheeled my bag through the ferry terminal, a large building with plenty of shopping, food, and coffee options. I traveled by bus through the rainy chill of winding roads that circumnavigate Sado, along the way having a chance to take in the island\u2019s pristine natural environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sado
Sugarcane paste is used as a fertilizer to aid the rice shoots to take root. Irrigation water is drawn from Niibo’s forested mountains \u2014 where you can find Japanese crested ibis \u2014 then pass through an oyster shell water filtration apparatus, effectively delivering calcium and minerals to the paddy field.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the roads, Sado Island is full of rice fields leading up to the foothills of its mountains. I stopped by the rice field of one farmer who grows rice using mineral water from the mountains. According to the season, the once nearly extinct crested ibis (toki<\/em>) flies around the island and perches in rice fields, and I caught glimpses of the bird flying in the distance. At the time of year I went, in between harvest and next season\u2019s sowing, I was surprised to see giant treads from trucks or ATVs gouging the fields. Farmers, I was told, do this on purpose to create pockets of water for ibises to drink from, which also contain loaches that ibises eat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Shrine at the Heart of Local Festivals and Community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sanno-san’s main path welcomes visitors<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

My next stop was one of the cultural hearts of Sado Island<\/strong>: Hiyoshi Shrine<\/strong>, also known as \u201cSanno-san,\u201d in the Niibo district (\u65b0\u4fdd\u5730\u533a)<\/strong>. Not only are the shrine\u2019s grounds used for religious purposes, according to Shinto, but its location brings the local community together for traditional Japanese festivals throughout the year. Chief amongst them is the Sanno Matsuri Festival in spring<\/strong>. This festival has a long history, featuring the art of Onidaiko (\u201cdemon drumming\u201d), portable shrines, horses, and children’s drums. Sanno-san even hosts various school events throughout the year, such as Sports Days, where students participate in friendly games of competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n