German architect Bruno Taut (1880-1938) praised the beauty of the rural villages of Sado Island in his writings on Japan. Such scenery offered him glimpses of an ancient Japan where people lived in harmony with nature. Sights like these have for the most part been lost in Japan due to the rapid modernization starting in the latter half of the 19th century, but they are still commonplace at Sado, where they have been preserved partly due to the island's isolation.

The largely uninhabitable mountain ranges that cover most of the land in Japan have offered a modest place to live for families and communities who honor the many Shinto gods, maintain harmony with nature, and grow rice. Currently, various aspects of Japanese culture are being sent out into the world, such as electronics, animation, and fashion, but Japan's inherent value, which is universal throughout the world, is its knowledge of how to live in harmony with nature and preserve the environment. The people of Sado still maintain a firm grasp on this knowledge.

Sado Island, which is the second largest outlying Japanese island after Okinawa, is about one and a half times the size of the 23 wards of Tokyo. Its major industry is neither fishing nor tourism, but agriculture. The southern part of the island is hit by a warm ocean current which supports an exuberance of plant life not normally found at that latitude, and it has an abundance of fruit growers. In the north is Mt. Kinpoku at a height of over 1,000 meters surrounded by old growth forests. Thus a variety of scenery and culture has developed on the island depending on the region.

How about taking a trip to Sado Island where people maintain their unique culture and live in harmony with nature? The following are some of the best things to see.

This bird was named by German physician Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796-1866), who visited Japan in the 1820s, based on a specimen he took home. The bird used to be found throughout Japan, but its numbers fell rapidly at the end of the Edo Period and start of the Meiji Period (1868). The toki was believed to have gone extinct, but it was discovered on Sado Island in the 1930s. The people of Sado Island were not aware that the toki was thought to be extinct, and they affectionately coexisted with the bird as they did other wildlife. The toki went extinct in the wild at one point in the 1980s, but efforts are currently being made at Sado to bring it back.

Noh, which was established in the 14th century by Zeami Motokiyo (1363-1443), is the quintessential performing art of Japan, and many of its plays strongly convey the Japanese view of life and death. In Japan, it is believed that the souls of persons who have passed away leaving bitter feelings in this world wander the world after death causing illness, bringing about natural catastrophes, and so on. Noh plays often depict the process of appeasing these wandering souls. Watching Noh is not just a form of entertainment, but it is also considered to be a ceremony to appease wandering souls.

Currently one-third of the Noh stages in Japan are concentrated in Sado, which is sacred ground for this art form. Here, Noh was originally entertainment for the governing classes, but its development has been unique in that it has been passed on by farmers. In June of each year, stages are set up at the shrines in each region to host outdoor Noh plays which are dedicated as rituals. These are entertainment for the farmers and at the same time, rituals to please the gods and ceremonies to appease wandering souls. Zeami Motokiyo, who was involved in a power struggle in Kyoto, came to Sado. His soul as well is being purified by the people of Sado.

Visitors to Sado are taken by the beauty of its abundant natural scenery and serene seas, but the fact that this great natural beauty has survived at Sado to the degree that it has is nothing short of miraculous. This is because Sado Island has one of the world's biggest gold mines. Mining uses vast quantities of wood, but the people of Sado knew what would happen if they cut down all of the trees on the mountains. The well water they used for drinking water would become muddied, there would be sand storms, and the soil flowing down from the mountains would muddy the seas and wipe out the shellfish. They also knew from experience that nourishment from the layers of dead leaves on the mountains supported plankton in the seas. Thus, communities continued to protect the mountain trees, even if it sometimes meant going against the wishes of the feudal government.

The Aikawa Gold Mine, which closed in 1989, is one of the few mines in the world to operate over several centuries. Visitors are overwhelmed by the sheer size of the old mine, but the real sights are the abundance of natural surroundings which have been preserved in spite of the mine and the culture of Sado.

Sado serves as the base for the Japanese drum group "Kodo," who perform around the world, and the island is home to taiko as well as many other performance arts. The festivals of each community always feature onidaiko (devil taiko) and the sound of resonating drums. Visitors can enjoy the sound and feel of Japanese drums by trying them out at a facility operated by Kodo.

Visitors can go trekking to see the old growth forests and rare flowers at a mountain range called "Osado." The farming area inhabited by the toki features a cycling course, and it is possible to rent bicycles at the port at Ryotsu.

Sado Island used to be where people who were defeated in power struggles at the capital were sent, and Zeami Motokiyo as well as members of the imperial family and aristocrats have lived here. The culture of Kyoto was thus passed on directly, and there are still many historic temples. Furthermore, the island's wondrous natural environment and isolation led it to become a sacred land that gathered many religious devotees. There are many areas of Sado which are still home to these "souls."

From Tokyo, take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata Station (the fastest train is 2 hours).
From JR Niigata Station, take the bus or walk (about 30 minutes) to the port where boats are departing for Sado.
Take the Sadokisen ferry (2 hours and 30 minutes one way) or the high-speed boat (1 hour one way). The high-speed boat is all reserved seating. Please note that the schedule changes from season to season.