SADO
Guide to the Isle of Treasures:

Exploring
HistoryandTradition

Take along our ultimate guide to the Isle of Culture,
where everything and everyone came and went by sea.

Prologue

Sado: Cultural Crossroads
Where people, goods and culture come and go.
The largest island in the Sea of Japan, Sado Island covers an
area of about 855 square kilometers, and its coastline stretches
approximately 280 kilometers. Sado is located 32 kilometers off
the coast of the Kakuda Cape in Niigata City, the closest mainland point across the Sado Strait. The island is traversed by the
Osado Mountain Range in the north and the Kosado Hills to thesouth, and between the two ranges is the grain belt of Kuninaka
Plain. With its rich variety of landforms, including mountains, thesea, plains, rivers and a lake, Sado is said to be a microcosm ofJapan. Blessed not only with good geographical conditions,
Sado also has a long cultural history. The Chojagadaira Ruins
are Sado's oldest and largest of the Jomon era (circa 10,500–
300 BC). The remains of this ancient village are located on ahigh terrace, 175 meters above sea-level on the tip of the Ogi
Peninsula, and stretch 100 meters east-to-west and 150 meters
north-to-south. Archaeological finds indicate that people werealready living here 25,000 years ago.
A number of people have come to and from the island by
sea since ancient times. Sado Kokubunji Temple (a provincial
temple) was established in 741, and a roof tile bearing a portrait
donated by the Provincial Governor of Noto (in Ishikawa Prefecture) was discovered in its ruins. This discovery illustrates the

movement of goods and people at that time. From the early 8th
century, notables were exiled to Sado and came across the sea
from the ancient capital of Kyoto, including Hozumi no Asomi Oi(a court noble and poet who criticized the Emperor), Zeami (aNoh playwright who brought Noh theater to a level of perfection), Nichiren Shonin (founder of the Nichiren School of Buddhism), Suketomo Hino (a court noble), and Emperor Juntoku.
After gold and silver were discovered in Aikawa in the early 17th
century, a town was quickly formed as officials, craftsmen andtownspeople gathered from all around Japan in order to supply
goods and services to the bustling mining town. In addition,
Sado had a kitamaebune (trading ships sailing through the Sea
of Japan) port of call, so various goods, as well as cultures, werebrought from other parts of Japan.
Sado is said to be a cultural crossroads, and a treasure troveof history and traditions. Culture brought from outside of theisland, and its own indigenous traditions, have been fused into
the current, unique culture of Sado. This brochure can introduce
only a portion of this amazing place, but take it along on yourjourney. Every time you take a walk, there will be something new
to find.

Death of the Historical
Buddha painting owned
by Hosenji Temple

Toki in Nehan-zu

Toki (crested ibis) portrayedin the Death of the Historical
Buddha paintings

Kaifu CoastContents
04 Open the Doors to Prayer I:
Visit temples and shrines laden with history

08 Open the Doors to Prayer II:
Days of festivities full of songs,
dances and performances

10 Walking Map I: Aikawa
Explore the vestiges of a mining town
from the 17th century to the present.

12 Walking Map II: Shukunegi
Discover life and culture by the sea

Nehan-zu (The Death of the Historical Buddha painting) depicts Sakyamuni
entering nirvana (nehan in Japanese). Sakyamuni is shown lying down on a
bed between sala trees with his head pointing north, and quietly entering
nirvana. His followers are gathered around him grieving, and among thosedrawn are divine animals, including a white elephant, a peacock, a lion, acrane and a fowl. Two temples in Sado house Nehan-zu in which Toki (thefamous Japanese crested ibis) is included among these animals. The two
temples are Hosenji Temple and Jissoji Temple of the Nichiren School.
Toki feed on small creatures, such as river snails, that inhabit ricepaddies. As use of agricultural chemicals and weed killers became
widespread in order to streamline farmwork, the number of Toki declined indirect relationship to their food. Wild ibises were initially kept underprotection at the Sado Toki Conservation Center to prevent the extinction ofnative Toki, but to no avail. The last bird died in 2003, and Japanese crested
ibises became extinct in Japan. The following year, however, artificial
propagation using a pair of ibises on loan from China, where wild crested
ibises still thrive, turned out to be successful. Subsequent artificial breeding
continued, and the birds were released on a trial basis in 2008. In 2012,
chicks were born in the wild for the first time in 38 years, and efforts toprotect the birds continue to be made today.
Try taking a walk around the rice paddies in Sado, and if you are lucky,
you might encounter Toki getting food or ﬂying with wings widespread.
Since their release to the wild in 2008, people all over Sado, especially
farmers, have been making concerted efforts to promote agriculture thatenhances biodiversity and provides a safe habitat for Toki and othercreatures. For example, farmers try to reduce the use of pesticides andchemical fertilizers, and set up fishways in their rice paddies.
Sado has been working to revive the Toki population and the birds can,once again, be found ﬂying in the island skies. By curious coincidence,
Nehan-zu paintings that include an image of Toki have been passed downon this island for generations.
[Event information] Nirvana Ritual ‘Nehan-e’ at Hosenji Temple
At Hosenji Temple, a Nehan-zu painting with an image of Toki ispresented to the public once every year, coinciding with the Nirvana
Ritual marking Buddha's death on March 16.

at the heart of the tradeship industry.

14 Cultural Properties Explorer Map

See all of Sado's cultural properties at
http://www.city.sado.niigata.jp/z̲ot/cultural̲property/

Open the Doors to Prayer, I
Visit temples and shrines laden with history

Kokubunji Temple
Founded in 741

The oldest and largest temple on Sado
Kokubunji Temples are provincial temples which were
established all over Japan by order of Emperor Shomu in
741. Each had a seven-story pagoda and ten copies of the
Lotus Sutra. A total of 69 Kokubunji Temples are thought tohave once existed, and Sado Kokubunji Temple is one ofthem. The seven-story pagoda burned down in 1301, and themain hall, too, in 1529. The present temple buildings werecompleted in the Edo Period (1603–1868). The wooden
statue of Seated Yakushi Nyorai, reputed to have beencreated in the Heian Period (794–1185), is installed at
Rurido Hall, which was reconstructed in 1666. The original
cornerstones, buried underground for centuries, were
unearthed in 1926, and those of Kondo Hall, the cloisters,
the auditorium (the new hall), the Great South Gate and thepagoda were discovered during subsequent excavations.
Designated a National Historic Site in 1929, The original
Kokubunji Temple remains are now a historical park,
evoking a sense of the early 8th century.
[Map] C-6
[Address] 113 Kokubunji, Sado

Wooden statue of Seated Yakushi Nyorai(National Important Cultural Property)
Period: Heian (794–1185) Height: 1.36 m

Thatched roof residence and reception hall

4

Passing through the Chumon (middle) Gate,
you will find a well-kept garden.

Sado Kokubunji was built with corridors, a rare style.
(National Historic Site)

The main hall, Rurido Hall
(Tangible Cultural Property of Sado City)

A solemn ambiance since ancient times
People living on Sado have lovingly preserved places ofprayer and worship for generations, making them the
backbone of people's lives. It was tough for us to narrow
down the treasures for this brochure, but here are ourpicks. Why not visit these places of prayer quietly resting,undisturbed, all around Sado?

Abutsubo Myosenji Temple
Founded in 1279

The only five-story pagoda still in existencein Niigata Prefecture
Myosenji Temple was established by the monk, Abutsubo Nittoku Shonin, whoused to be a samurai warrior serving the palace guard in the ancient capital cityof Kyoto. He accompanied Emperor Juntoku to Sado when the Emperor was
exiled, and after the Emperor passed away, he served the monk, Nichiren(founder of the Nichiren School of Buddhism who was exiled to Sado) andbecame a follower along with his wife. Thus, letters written by Nichiren havebeen kept as temple treasures, and copies are displayed here. A five-story
pagoda, a National Important Cultural Property, stands within the precinct, andis said to have been designed to imitate the one at Nikko Toshogu Shrine in
Tochigi Prefecture. This pagoda was constructed by two successive
generations of master carpenters from the Aikawa area and completed in 1825.
Its Japanese-style pagoda stands on a square base, each side of which is about
6 meters, and has a pyramid-shaped tile roof with an Edo (now Tokyo)-style
metal ornament at the apex. The building was constructed mainly of pine,using cedar for the pillars, and the overhanging roof is supported by complex
zelkova bracket systems.
[Map] C-6
[Address] 29 Abutsubo, Sado

Chokokuji Temple
Founded in 807

Buddha statues and handwritten documents
are displayed in the exhibition rooms.
Chokokuji Temple is thought to have been founded in 807.
Although some claim that this temple was named after Hasedera
Temple (written in the same Chinese characters as Chokokuji but
pronounced differently in Japanese) in Nara Prefecture, theorigin of the name is not clear. Later, however, Zeami (whoperfected Noh theatre and was exiled to Sado), mentioned in his
book that the site was reminiscent of his hometown, Nara.
Chokokuji Temple is home to a number of cultural properties
and houses six exhibition rooms (open to the public) wheretemple treasures are on display. There are many statues of
Buddha, such as the wooden statue of Kongara-doji (Prefectural
Tangible Cultural Property) and the wooden statue of the Seated
Goddess of Hakusan (Tangible Cultural Property of Sado City).
The Eleven-headed Kannon (Prefectural Important Cultural
Property), built in the same style as the wooden Eleven-headed
Kannon (a National Important Cultural Property presented to the
public once every 33 years), is also on display in one of theexhibition rooms. Many temple buildings such as the main hall,residence, storehouses for sutras and rice, and the bell house
have remained intact since the Edo Period (1603–1868). This
temple is also known as a ﬂower temple, so please enjoy theseasonal charms of cherry blossoms in spring, peony and hydrangea in summer, and red and yellow leaves in autumn.
[Map] C-6
[Address] 13 Hase, Sado

Five-story pagoda (National Important Cultural Property)
Period: Edo (1603–1868) Dimensions: overall height, 24 m; side length, 3.6 m

Handwritten letter by Nichiren Shonin(National Important Cultural Property)
Period: Kamakura (1185–1333)
Words of gratitude for Sado islanders’kindness and teachings of the Lotus Sutra
are written on one long sheet of paper.

Eleven-headed Kannon(Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property)
Period: late 12th century
Height: approx. 100 cm

Kongara-doji(Prefectural Tangible
Cultural Property)
Period: late 12th century
Height: 60.3 cm

Seated Goddess of Hakusan(Tangible Cutural Property of Sado City)
Period: circa 8th century
Dimensions: 54 cm
high, 43 cm wide

Wooden Four Guardian Kings(Tamonten, the Guardian King of the North/ Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property)
Period: late 12th century

Seated Fudo Myoo
(Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property)
Period: late 12th century

5Rengebuji Temple
Founded in 806

A treasure trove of historic buildings

Taitokuin Mausoleum (Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property), Period: 18th century
Shingle roof supported by two pillars features decorations of fine craftsmanship

Reception Hall
(NationallyRegistered Tangible
Cultural Property)
reconstructed in
1897.
Dimensions: 24.6
meters wide; 16.1
meters long

Octagonal Hall
(NationallyRegistered Tangible
Cultural Property)
Period: 18th century
Eaves decorated withcarvings andsculptures, including
a cloud dragon

Sado is considered to be located in an unlucky
direction from the ancient capital city of Kyoto, so to
combat bad fortune Rengebuji Temple was founded
and named Mt. Kobie (literally: small Hiei) after Mt.
Hiei, which stands to the northeast of Kyoto. Thisancient temple is said to have been established by
the monk Kobo Daishi Kukai (founder of the
Shingon esoteric sect of Buddhism), and is also
believed to have been constructed by the order ofEmperor Saga. Rengebuji Temple is one of the threegreat, sacred sites of the Shingon school, along with
Kongoji Temple in Osaka and Murouji Temple inNara. The Kobodo hall, Kondo hall, and an ossuary
are designated National Important Cultural Properties, and the other sixteen buildings within the compound are registered as National Tangible Cultural
Properties. The wooden guardian statues (Prefectural
Tangible Cultural Properties) installed at both sidesof the Niomon gate were sculpted using zelkoba.
They are thought to have been built when the temple
was on the rise, because the calm expression in theslightly formalised style indicates a trend from the
Kamakura Period (1185–1333). The temple boasts
extensive grounds of approximately one hectare. It isfamous for hydrangeas blooming all over the temple
in July, and thus is sometimes called the Hydrangea
Temple.
[Map] B-8
[Address] 182 Kobie, Sado

Kobie Shrine Founded in 807
Rengebuji Temple's tutelary shrine
Originally the tutelary shrine of Rengebuji Temple, it was renamed Kobie
Shrine at the time of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, after Shinto andBuddhism were separated to push Shinto as a national religion. Until
then, Shinto and Buddhism were mixed and many Shinto shrines andtheir deities were combined with Buddhist temples and Buddhas. The
main hall (National Important Cultural Property) was built in 1640 in thecommon ‘Nagare-zukuri’ style of shrine architecture, which features anasymmetrical gable shingled roof projecting outwards on the sides andsupported by four pillars. The stone torii gate standing in front was built
in 1608 and bears an inscription of that year. An Intangible Folk Cultural
Property of Sado City, the Rice-field Fun Ritual, called “Ta-asobi Shinji,”
is held on February 6 every year at the thatched roof worship hall(Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property).
[Map] B-8 [Address] 182 Kobie, Sado

Come see the Rice-field Fun
Ritual held in the worship hallmade to symbolize rice fields.

Dairenji Temple Founded in 1421
Maybe you will find your own face among theFive Hundred Rakan (“Perfected Persons”).
Dairenji is a temple of the Soto Zen School of Buddhism established in the Hamochi Ohashi area by a Zen monk from mainland
Niigata (Echigo). The Sanmon Gate (Prefectural Tangible Cultural
Property) used to be the East Gate of Hamochi Castle (Prefectural
Historic Site), which fell after an attack by Kagekatsu Uesugi, theLord of Echigo. It is believed that the gate was relocated to where
it stands now after surviving the fall. The Five Hundred Rakan(enlightened disciples of Buddha) statues are exquisite works by asculptor from Edo (now Tokyo). Decorations, including gold leaf,
are considered to have been done by a lacquer craftsman from
Noto, which is a major lacquerware production area in Ishikawa
Prefecture.
[Map] B-8 [Address] 2075-Ko, Hamochi Hongo, Sado
6

Five Hundred Rakan statues created over seven years starting in 1664

Wooden Seated Amida Nyorai (Tangible Cultural Property of Sado City)
Period: Muromachi (1392–1573) Height: 50 cm (102 cm including the pedestal)
A principal object of worship with an inscription of the year it was repaired, 1427

Shoboji Temple
Founded in 1324

Passing down a mask left by Zeami
Shoboji Temple is where Zeami, a Noh playwright
who perfected the artform of Noh, stayed when he
was exiled to Sado after incurring the wrath of the
shogun in 1434. This temple treasures the ritualmask “Beshimi,” which Zeami reputedly broughtfrom the ancient capital city of Kyoto. Five temple
buildings, including Kannon-do Hall, are Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. The
ceiling over the corridor leading to the main hall is
supported by elegantly curved beams, and striking
carved-wood transom panels are arranged within
the hall.
[MAP] C-5
[Address] 504 Izumi Ko, Sado

Graceful curved beams
The “Beshimi” ritual mask (Prefectural
Tangible Cultural Property) is also
called a rainmaking mask.
Height: 22.0 cm Width: 15.9 cm

Carved-wood transom panels with spectacular architecture

Seated Amida Nyorai(National Important
Cultural Property)
Period: early 12th century
Height: approx. 87 cm

Bronze Bell (National Important
Cultural Property)
Period: 13th century (Goryeo
Period in Korea)
Height: approx. 83 cm
Diameter: 61.2 cm

Choanji Temple Founded in 831
An ancient temple where the Amidastatue of the Heian Period (8th–12th
centuries) is handed down.

Seated Yakushi Nyorai(Tangible Cultural Property of Sado City)
Period: early 12th century
Height: 52.3 cm

The dynamic Nio (temple guardians) are thought to havebeen sculpted by the Kei School (a leader in Buddhist
sculpture) and stand at either side of the thatched Niomon
Gate. The sculptures and gate are designated Tangible
Cultural Properties of Sado City. The principal object ofworship is the Seated Amida Nyorai, which was carved
and assembled in sections using cypress wood in the early
12th century. This temple houses other ancient statues of
Buddha, too, including a Seated Yakushi Nyorai createdin the early 12th century, as well as a bronze Korean bell.
[Map] D-5 [Address] 152 Kujikawachi, Sado

Elaborate narrative sculptures of
the worship hall’s exterior

Breathtaking view of the platform through the Chumon gate

Seisuiji Temple Founded in 808

Ushio Shrine Founded in 792

400-year-old cedar trees and overhang architecture

Sculptures of the worship hall show skillful craftsmanship.

A stone-paved path lined with sky-high cedar trees leads up to the Chumon(middle) gate, and after passing through it, the main hall with a platform(Tangible Cultural Property of Sado City) comes into view. Seisuiji Temple belongs to the group headed by Hasedera Temple in Nara, and theplatform structure is said to be similar to the temple there. The temple
houses a wooden tablet with an inscription of the year 1730, on which canbe found information about and a history of the structure, as well as anillustration that portrays the temple buildings in the Edo Period (17th–19th
centuries).
[Map] D-5 [Address] 124-1 Niibo Ono, Sado

Ushio Shrine was established in 792 by dividing gods from Izumo Taisha Shrine in
Shimane Prefecture and re-enshrining them here. The worship hall features a gable
roof undulating in three directions, and the sculptures were completed by mastercraftsmen from both inside and outside of the island. The motifs of the sculptures
include animals and auspicious creatures, such as dragons, tigers and lions, as well
as a scene depicting Emperor Juntoku’s move to Sado. This shrine houses a Nohstage (Prefectural Tangible Folk Cultural Property), too, which was reconstructedduring a period of six years starting in 1901, after being burned down in 1899. On
this authentic Noh stage, bonfire Noh performances are held in June.
[Map] D-5 [Address] 2529 Niibo Katagami, Sado
7

Open the Doors to Prayer, II
Days of festivities full of songs, dances and performances“Kurumadaue”(spiral rice planting)in Kitaushima(National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property)

The Song of Rice, an island treasure
Accompanied by a rice-planting song sung from theridge of the paddy, three female rice planters clad inclassic attire plant seedlings in an outward spiralstarting in the middle of the paddy. Symbolizing thesun and acting as a guide for the god of the field’sdescension, planting in a spiral is thought to be a formof prayer for bumper crops. The rice grown in thisfield is harvested, dried and threshed separately fromother fields, and this practice preserves the old
rice-planting traditions. Similar traditions used to beupheld in Iwate, Gifu, Kochi and other prefectures,but most of them have disappeared and now there are
only two places left in Japan: Sado and Takayama in
Gifu Prefecture. This very rare and valuable rice
planting custom is handed down on Sado by the
Kitamura family in Kitaushima, and it is the only one
that can be witnessed on the island. Spiral rice planting takes place in the middle of or at the end of May
every year, in the largest rice paddy (called Oda) of
the Kitamura family.

It is believed that the god of the field descends into the centre of the spiral.

Gosho Shrine Rice Planting Ritual in Shimokawamo(Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property),
held annually on February 6

Hakusan Shrine Rice-field Fun Ritual in Okubo(Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property),
held annually on January 3[Event information] There are many otheragricultural rituals on Sado, including The
Rice-field Fun Ritual, called “Ta-asobi Shinji,”
held at Hakusan Shrine, and Otaue Rice Planting Ritual at Gosho Shrine. For details, pleasesee page 14.
[Location] Kitaushima, Sado[Map] D-1

Sado Daizen Shrine
Noh Stage
The Oldest Noh Stage in Sado
It is believed that there were once over 200 Noh stages on
Sado. There are now just 35, but this number still equals one
third of the total remaining Noh stages nationwide. Such alarge number of stages reﬂects how familiar Sado’s people
were with Noh plays. Zeami, a playwright who brought Noh toperfection, was exiled to Sado in the 15th century, but it was
not until the 17th century that Noh gained recognition among
the general population. This happened because Nagayasu
Okubo, whose father was a performer of Sarugaku (popular
entertainment involving acrobatics and mime), became theCommissioner of Sado and brought Noh performers here. After
that, Noh plays were promoted, backed by the wealth produced
from the gold and silver mine, and took root in people’s lives.
These days, some locals still hold Noh performances in earlysummer.
[Event information] Yearly Bonfire Noh performances
are held in early summer at Noh stages around Sado.
For details, please see page 14.
[Location] 561 Takeda [Map] C-6
8

Daizen Shrine Noh Stage (Prefectural Tangible Folk Cultural Property) reconstructed in 1846

Most of the festivals are held in spring and autumn,
when people offer prayers for good crops and show
gratitude for rich harvests to deities and ancestors.
Sado has numerous small communities, and thefestivals are as varied as the villages. Join in thefestivities like a local when residents gather to singand dance.

Sanno Festival in Niibo(Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property)

A vibrant festival with a history of 800 years
Celebrated by six surrounding communities in Niibo, Sanno Festival is an annual festival of Niibo
Hiyoshi Shrine, where portable shrines from all seven Sanno shrines gather. Niibo Hiyoshi Shrine
is believed to be a shrine where deities of Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine (the head of Sanno shrine in
Otsu, Shiga Prefecture), were divided and re-enshrined. Each of the two shrines consists of sevensmaller shrines of Sanno and have similar rituals, and that suggests a strong tie between them.
During the festival, a Buddhist monk recites sutras in the main hall. This clearly reﬂects the fusionof Shinto (an ancient tradition of nature worship) and Buddhism, where the temple attached to ashrine was actively involved in its management until shrines and temples were officially separated
in the late 19th century. This festival is “old-style” in every aspect, from the gathering of portableshrines from surrounding communities to the Ondeko (masked deity dance) and lion dance groups
visiting door to door, and the archery on horseback. It is not clear when this festival began, butaccording to the history book, Sadoshi, horseback archery and portable shrine parades were already being carried out in the late 16th century.
[Location] Kaminiibo, Sado [Map] D-5

Vibrant Ondeko (masked deity dance) performance in front of Niibo Hiyoshi Shrine

Sculpted deity masks(Property of Niibo Museum of History
and Folklore)

Kuji Hachimangu Shrine Festival

Puppet Theaters

A traditional event reminiscent of a medieval painting

Popular entertainment enjoyed byislanders: Bunya, Sekkyo,
Noroma puppet theaters(Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sado City)

The earliest record of this valuable, traditional
event of Kuji Hachimangu Shrine can be found in adocument compiled in 1405. The festival begins
with attendants and archers staying overnight at theshrine on September 13, followed by a pre-festival
event on the evening of the 14th. The main festival,
on September 15, includes rituals held at the bighall, seawater scooping, a portable shrine paradeand archery on horseback. Three neighbouringcommunities dedicate performances such as To-To(sword dance), Ondeko (masked deity dance) andHanagasa Odori (ﬂower hat dance, a Prefectural
Intangible Folk Cultural Property).
[Event information] The main festival today
is held on the closest Sunday to September
15. For details, please see page 14.
[Map] D-4

Hanagasa Odori is performed toplease and comfort deities, and pray
for rich harvests

Ondeko and lion dance troupes go fromhouse to house.

(National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties)

Puppetry on Sado has developed uniquely from its
earliest form. One puppeteer manipulates one
puppet, unlike Bunraku where each puppet requires
three puppeteers to operate it. Bunya puppet drama
is performed in the style derived from the dramatic
Bunyabushi narration of Kyoto, accompanied by ashamisen (three-string lute) player who is also anarrator. Sekkyo puppet plays, the oldest form ofpuppetry, are accompanied by Sekkyobushi chanting, which is associated with the teachings of
Buddhism. Noroma is a comic puppet drama performed in Sado dialect.
[Event information] For details, please see
page 14.

Expressive puppet heads
exhibited in the Niibo Museumof History and Folklore

Life like puppets move on the stage

Utou Shrine Festival

Kojishimai (Deer Dance)

Stately and gorgeous portableshrine procession

Similar to the deer dancefound in the Tohoku region

The portable shrine procession, parading throughthe streets and accompanied by calls of encouragement like, “Chosaya!” makes an impressive scene, along with thousands of paper lanterns
and the echoes of a conch-shell trumpet. The taiko
drumming of the Ondaiko (literally: drum) in thisarea does not feature a masked deity. Instead, aperformer wearing a mask of an elderly man
dances to the rhythm of the drum, holding a square,wooden measuring cup and a persimmon. This
performance is said to have originated from mimes
imitating the miners digging for ore at the gold andsilver mine.
[Location] Aikawa, Sado
[Date] Held annually on October 19[Map] A-5

A trio of deer (a stag, a doe and a fawn)
performs two styles of dance to two
different songs: one is dedicated to theshrine, and the other is performed intown. This tradition in Ogimachi(Inari-cho) is believed to have beenbrought from Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
in Kyoto at the time of the founding of an
Inari shrine. Kojishimai can be seen in
the Akadomari, Ryotsu and Aikawa
areas, too.
[Date] Event dates vary dependingon the area. For details, pleasesee page 14.
[Location] Ogimachi, Sado

(Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sado City)(Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sado City)

The portable shrine parade sets off from Utou Shrine.

The portable shrine parades through the streets until late at night.

Enjoy the different styles of the dance.

In Akadama, deer dance to thebamboo flute as they move in an arc.

9

Scale model of Aikawa with closely lined-up houses(Property of Gold Mine Museum)

Walking Map I:

Doyu noThis split Warito (National
hand in pmountaintop caveHistoric Site):
ursuit of gdold and si-in after being min
lver.
ed by

AikawaExplore the vestiges of amining town from the 17th
century to the present.

❶ Kitazawa Flotation Plant Ruins(National Historic Site)

Kitazawa Flotation Plant is an ore processing facility constructed
in 1940 to extract gold in order to boost production. This facility
made it possible to process 50,000 tons of ore monthly. Now inruins, Kitazawa Flotation Plant is a perfect place to take someartistic snapshots.

The story:
Sado Gold and Silver Mine
The Collection of Tales of Times Now Past,
thought to have been compiled at the end of the
12th century, features an episode about an iron sandcollector coming over to Sado from Noto andcollecting alluvial gold. The story is believed to be
set in Nishimikawa, in the Mano area of Sado.
There, slightly shiny gold was collected by placing
gravel and sand in sieves on a river and washingaway the lighter sand.
Later, mines such as Iwami Ginzan Silver Minein Shimane Prefecture were actively developed
throughout Japan, and the method of collecting
gold and silver from hard rocks was gradually
established. On Sado, Tsurushi Ginzan Silver Mine
was discovered in the Sawata area by merchantsfrom Echigo (now mainland Niigata), and silver
was mined. In Aikawa, located in close proximity
to Tsurushi Silver Mine, gold-silver veins around
Doyu no Warito were discovered in 1601, andlarge-scale development of the mine began.
The Tokugawa shogunate took an interest in the10mine and placed Sado under its direct control. The
shogunate then appointed Nagayasu Okubo, who
had been Commissioner for Iwami Ginzan Silver
Mine, as Deputy of Sado (and later Commissioner)in 1603. Nagayasu established the shogunate outpost (later the Commissioner’s Office) on the tip of
the terrace facing the sea in Aikawa, and planned atown where people with the same occupation could
reside in clusters, such as a rice shop quarter, amiso shop quarter and a miners quarter. Seeking
wealth, mining experts, miners, merchants andcraftsmen came to Aikawa from all over Japan. The
discovery of gold and silver transformed overnighta small, poor village with just a few households
into a huge mining town with a population of
forty- to fifty-thousand, changing Aikawa completely.
For a period of time, the gold and silver from
Sado were used to mint small coins called koban,
which contributed to the shogunate’s finances.
However, after all of the profitable veins wereextracted, tunnels had to be dug down deeper anddeeper, even below sea level, in search of newseams. As the expense of preventing tunnels fromﬂooding mounted and the production of gold andsilver decreased, the mine in Aikawa suffered.

Aikawa ﬂourished as a mining town in the
Edo Period (17th–19th centuries). Centeredaround the street leading up to the gold andsilver mine, to the east of the Sado Commissioner’s Office, the town was developed
so that people with the same occupation
were clustered in a specific quarter, and it
thrived until mining was brought to an end
in 1989. Daiku-cho was where miners lived;
Shingoro-cho was named after a mining
engineer; Komeya (literally: rice shop)-cho
was where you could buy rice; Misoya-cho
was where you could buy bean paste(miso), Aimono-cho was the salted fish(aimono) shop quarter, etc. So, whenstrolling around, be on the lookout for
remnants of this goldrush town.

This period of decline, however, came to a haltwhen mining activities began to be modernized in
1869. The latest technologies and machines broughtfrom Europe (following the opening of Japan’s
gates to the world) boosted production, and thegovernment-run Sado Mine became one of theleading mines in Japan. It was later managed underthe Bureau of Imperial Estates of the Imperial
Household Department (now the Imperial
Household Agency) as an Imperial asset, and thensold in the private sector (Mitsubushi Company) in
1896.
In 1937, following privatization, the government promoted an increase in production of goldand silver for overseas trade. Thus, Kitazawa
Flotation Plant, Odate Mine Shaft, Takato Crushing
Plant and miners residences were established inquick succession, and annual gold production
reached approximately 1.5 tons. However, theamount gradually decreased, and after a series ofscaling down production activities, the mine was
finally closed in 1989.
The 400-year, culminated history of the mineremains intact in remnants, as well as in people’s
lives, to this day.

You can walkthrough real tunnels
underground atGolden Sado.

Sado gold and silver mine
illustrated on a scroll(Tangible Cultural Property of Sado City)

This illustrated scroll portrays the process andprocedures of mining, and its purpose was toexplain the complicated workings of the mine to
the Commissioner and other officials. This one
was painted in the later half of the Edo Period(1688–1736), and many similar scrolls andillustrations depicting the gold and silver mine
still remain. Dug by hand in all directions, themaze of tunnels spreads like an ants’ nest.

Bottom left: miners busy digging in a tunnel; top: workers going back and forth carrying mined ore

Take a stroll through history!

(National Historic Site)(National Historic Site)❷ Sado Commissionerʼs
Ofﬁce(Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property)❸ Time Bell Tower❹ Old Aikawa
Detention Branch

The time bell tower announced thetime for a period of 200 years, fromthe early 18th century until the late
19th century. The bell was cast in
bronze produced in Sado. Its tower
stands at the end of the brick wall of
the former court building, on a street
which boasts stunning views.

The Sado Commissioner’s Officehoused the government officials incharge of the administration of thecountry of Sado, and management of
the gold and silver mine. It also contained a plant for processing andconcentrating gold and silver, as wellas the Commissioner’s residence.
Today, the buildings have been restored
and are open to the public.

Established in 1954 as a branch of
Niigata Prison, Aikawa Detention
Branch was an institution where
suspects and defendants were held. It
was in use until 1972. The atmosphericmodern architecture has been drawing
attention, and is open to the public.

(Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property)❺ Old Aikawa Tax Ofﬁce
The Aikawa Tax Office was established in 1889. The main building
remaining to this day was constructed
in 1931, and served as a tax office
until 1970. With its Western-stylearchitecture featuring symmetric
design, it has become a recognizedlandmark in the Aikawa town center,along with the Old Aikawa Detention
Branch.

Oma

Aikawa Folk Museum

The Aikawa mineand the entire mining
town are designatedGas Station

eet

g Str

Zaimoku-machi

in

Sh

a

ka

izak

h
Nis

Golden Sado
(tourist attractionmine tunnels)

Sado Hangamura
Woodblock Print Art Museum(former Aikawa Court)

ka

iza

h
Nis

a
as

N

ag

eet

chi Str

Kyoma❸ Time Bell Tower❺ Old Aikawa Tax Ofﬁce❺
Sado City
Aikawa Ofﬁce

To Osado Skyline →AikawaHospital

oppin

a Sh

d
Hane

Sado
Commissioner's
Ofﬁce ❷a Cultural Landscape.

Kitazawa❶ Flotation
Plant Ruins❹

Old Aikawa
Detention Branch

Sado Tourism
Association
Aikawa Ofﬁce← To Aikawa town center

To Sawata →Hanedahama
Nishi Police Station

Parking Lot

Bus Stop

Post Ofﬁce

Toilets

N

Approx. 100 m

11

Sengokubune “Hakusanmaru”
Sengokubune is a large wooden trading
ship with a cargo-carrying capacity of1000 koku (150 tons, “sengoku” inJapanese).
Length: 23.75 m
Stern height: 6.61 m
Tonnage: 77 tons (512 koku)

Walking Map Ⅱ:

Shukunegi
Discover life and culture by the sea
at the heart of the tradeship industry.

❶ Sadokoku Ogi Folk Museum
Sadokoku Ogi Folk Museum is housed in the wooden building of
the former Shukunegi Elementary School, constructed in 1921.
This museum exhibits a collection of folk materials assembled fromall parts of Sado, but centered around the Minami (southern) Sadoarea. In the adjoining exhibition hall, a large wooden trading ship,“Hakusanmaru,” is on display.

Nestled in a narrow valley facing a cove situated at the southwest tip of Sado, Shukunegi
ﬂourished as a base for the wholesale shipping industry using sengokubune (large wooden
trading ships) from the Edo Period into the Meiji Period (17th–19th centuries). In the past,wholesale shipping agents, captains, ship builders, sailors, blacksmiths, tub merchants andmasons ﬂocked to reside in Shukunegi and a small city was formed. If you pay attention to
the ambiance of the village, which survives to this day, you will see traces of the wit andingenuity developed by villagers who lived shoulder to shoulder in Shukunegi.

The story:a Shipping Village
In the Edo Period (1603–1868), large wooden
ships sailed from Kyoto and Osaka through the Sea
of Japan to transport and trade cargo via many
ports, and those ships were called “kitamaebune.”
There were two ship routes and they were managed
by the shogunate. The westbound route went from
Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, to Osaka, through the
Seto Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku, andthen eastward to Edo. The eastbound route wentfrom Sakata through the strait between Honshu andHokkaido, and then southward to Edo. As landtransportation such as railways and telecommunication systems developed, the demand forkitamaebune gradually declined and the ships
eventually disappeared.
Sado’s kitamaebune industry is thought to havebeen at its pinnacle for a period of about 100 years,
between 1750 and 1850. After Ogi Port was added
to the ports of call on the westbound route in 1672
by the shogunate, Shukunegi, located within easyreach of Ogi Port, became a base for the wholesale
12

shipping industry, and Japanese-style ships werebuilt at the inlet right in front of the village. Approximately 500 people, including ship owners,
captains, sailors, shipbuilders, blacksmiths, tub
merchants and stone masons, gathered there. The
ships brought various goods traded at ports en routeof the voyage, including opulent lacquerware withgold decorations used by ship owners for feasts,
high-quality lacquered bowls produced in Wajima(a well-known production area), and white Imariware with indigo patterns, all of which were expensive and out of reach for common people at thattime. Shukunegi still has granite stone and roof tiles
delivered from the Setouchi and San-in areas inwestern Japan, respectively. Ships brought a varietyof cultures as well as goods, and within Sado, aunique way of life developed.
When the use of Japanese-style wooden ships
went into decline in the late 19th century, people in
Shukunegi began to turn their heads away from thesea, seeking out land for farming, and thekitamaebune gradually disappeared. During thetime of high economic growth in the last half of the20th century, lifestyles drastically changed, and oldeveryday items and tools were abandoned one after
another.

Shukunegi came back into the spotlight as avillage representing the wholesale shipping industry
in 1980, when surveys of houses were conducted
and items were collected for the folk museum. The
buildings in Shukunegi have distinctive features
built under the inﬂuence of the wholesale shipping
industry, and so the town was designated a National
Important Preservation District for a Group of
Traditional Buildings in 1991. In 1998, a full-scale
kitamaebune was restored based on drawings from1858 that had been collected from Shukunegi andkept at the folk museum.
Today, a stroll through Shukunegi provides ahint of the days when the village prospered fromthe wholesale shipping industry. While the housesin Shukunegi used to have shingled roofs withstones on top and simple exteriors made of vertically grained cedar timber, by contrast the interior
columns, sliding doors and walls were lavishly
decorated with vermilion lacquer. Some houses
within the village are open to the public and a tour
led by a local guide is available upon request.
Please take your time and explore this town with anostalgic ambiance.

National Important Preservation District for a Group of Traditional Buildings

Shukunegi Architecture Guide
Discover historic buildings

A. Seikuro, a private house open to the public
Seikuro used to be the main house of a shipping agent, who owned two ships.
Constructed in 1858, it has a luxurious design, including a spacious entry
area and kitchen with packed-earth ﬂooring, chamfered pillars, and aninterior decorated with lacquer. This architecture represents the highest
quality of materials and craftsmanship at the time.
B. Kanekoya
Built before 1846, this house was purchased in 1935 by the Kanekoya family,
who were sailors, and used as their main residence. The interior is fully
restored in the style of the old times. The bedroom has a raised ﬂoor in the
traditional raised-threshold style.
C. Isaburo, an inn designed for one guest or group of guests at a time
Built around 1891, Isaburo was the main house building of a sengokubune
captain. The residence features unique designs, including a protruding second
ﬂoor on the north side and an eave decoration bearing the Chinese characterfor stone: 石.
D. Yamashita
Yamashita is one of few buildings in this style, with a wing projecting at aright angle from the main house. The Yamashita family used to be shipping
agents and used the wing as a shed to store household goods. At present, theformer site of the main house has been reformed into a garden, and the shed
has been converted into a café.

❷ Triangle House (Sankakuya)❸ Yosute Koji

After a ﬂood in 1846, Sankakuya wastransferred to where it stands now.
Before relocation, Sankakuya was a
7.2 m x 10.8 m rectangular shape, but
it was reconstructed to fit in thisnarrow corner lot.

Yosute Koji (reclusive path) is anarrow cobbled path where funeralprocessions once passed. It is said tohave been funded and planned byhouseholds along the way. Repeatedly
trodden over a long period of time, thecentral part has been worn away.

Shokoji❹ Temple

Shrine

The fully-restored interior is open to the public.

❹ Shokoji Temple

Reputed to have been established in
1349, Shokoji Temple is an ancient
temple of the Jishu School of Buddhism. The main hall was reconstructed in 1923 after a great fire. On the
Sanmon main gate, which survived thefire, there remains a wooden plaquebearing an inscription of the year 1713,
and other historical information.

❺ Roofs with Stones on Top
Many houses in Shukunegi had roofs
with stones on top until around 1955.
They were covered with long, thin
Japanese cedar timber topped withstones as weights. Roofs were reshingled once every several years as acooperative activity of the village.

Sadokoku Ogi Folk Museum❶

Ogi Folk Museum

D. Yamashita
C. Isaburo❷

Triangle House
A. Seikuro

B. Kanekoya❺ Roofs withstones on top❸

Shukunegi

Yosute Koji

Shukunegi Visitors
Information DeskN
Parking Lot

Bus Stop

Post Ofﬁce

Toilets

Approx. 100 m

13

Cultural Properties Explorer Map
SapporoGetting around Sado

Getting to Sado

Sado Island is probably larger than you think.
Covering an area of approximately 855 square
kilometres, it is 1.4 times the size of Tokyo’s
twenty-three wards. There is no railway system on
Sado, so the main modes of transportation arebuses, cars and taxis. Other options include
sightseeing taxis with a driver doubling as a tour
guide, rental cars or rental bikes. You can combine
different ways to get around depending on yourplan and the distance you intend to travel.

It takes 2.5 hours by ship (car ferry) or
one hour by jetfoil from Niigata Port to
Sado, the largest island in the Sea ofJapan. From Tokyo to Niigata, it takes
1.5 hours by air, about 2 hours by rail
(Shinkansen bullet trains), or 5 hours bycar. Please select the best travel option
for your plan.
Hiroshima

For more detailed information on travel options anduseful contact information, please visit True Sado,
the official tourism website for Sado.
URL: https://www.visitsado.com/en/tosado/insado

Festivals usually take place on a fixed date, but some are held on holidays so locals can take part without
difficulty. Times also vary depending on the community. Please confirm the exact date in advance. For yourreference, here are approximate dates of a few main events.
Name of event

Location

Scheduled date

The Rice-field Fun Ritual at Hakusan Shrine

Okubo

January 3

Rice Planting Ritual at Gosho Shrine

Shimokawamo

February 6

The Rice-field Fun Ritual at Kobie Shrine

Kobie

February 6

Ohata Shrine Festival

Okura

April 11

Niibo Sanno Festival

Kaminiibo

April 12–14

Sado Sagiryu Kyogen

Yoshioka

April 14

“Kurumadaue” (spiral rice planting)

Kitaushima

middle to end of May

Akadama Shrine Ritual

Akadamafourth Sunday in May

Kitano Shrine Festival

InakujiraAugust 25“Kojishimai” (deer dance)

OgimachiAugust 28–30

Kuji Hachimangu Shrine Festival

Shimokujiclosest Sunday to September 15

Utou Shrine Festival

Aikawa Oritomura

October 19

Puppet Theaters and Puppet Heads

For details, please contact Niibo Museum of History and Folklore.

Noh Theater
Many Noh performances, including bonfire Noh, are held on stages throughout Sado from April until
December. Double your pleasure by coordinating performances with a tour of stages.

14

Nagoya
Osaka

Tokyo

Find out more about ferry and bus services on the websitesof Sado Kisen and Niigata Kotsu.
Sado Kisen URL: http://www.sadokisen.co.jp/language/en
Niigata Kotsu URL: http://www.niigata-kotsu.co.jp

Enjoy local festivals and performing arts events

Name of event

SendaiFukuoka

True Sado
True Sado

Sado
IslandLocation

Scheduled date

Nikuu Shrine Bonfire Noh Performance232-2 Nikuu

February and August

Daizen Shrine Annual Festival Noh Performance

561 Takeda

April

Tenryo Sado Ryotsu Bonfire Noh Performance

724 Harakuro

May–July, September and October

Daizen Shrine Bonfire Noh and Sagiryu Kyogen

561 Takeda

June

Kusakari Shrine Bonfire Noh and Sagiryu Kyogen

1698 Hamochi Hongo

June

Ushio Shrine Annual Festival Noh Performance

2529 Niibo Katagami

June

Honma Family Regular Noh Performance

987 Agata

July

B

A

C

D

1

E

1

Kitaushima…p8

2

2

3

3

4

y Sea
350 b a 67.2 km
Route
gat
ii
N
u−
Ryots

Ryotsu

To N
iigat
a

Por
t

4

50

Ryotsu PortWalking Map:
Aikawae3
Ro

Historic Site:
Sado Kinzan Gold Mine Kanai

Ushio Shrine…p7
Choanji Temple…p7

…p10

5

Utou Shrine…p9

Kuji Hachimangu Shrine…p9

ut

AikawaSawataShoboji Temple…p7

Niibo
Niibo Sanno Festival / Hiyoshi Shrine…p9

5

Seisuiji Temple…p7
Daizen Shrine Hatano
Noh Stage…p8
Chokokuji Temple…p5
Myosenji Temple…p5
Kokubunji Temple…p4

6

6

Mano

Akadomari7

7

HamochiAkadomari Port

Dairenji Temple…p6

Ogi

8
Walking Map:
Shukunegi

Akadomari−Teradomari 46 km

Rengebuji Temple …p6
Kobie Shrine…p6

8

Ogi Port
Route 350 by Sea
Ogi−Naoetsu 78 km…p10

To Naoetsu PortA

B

To Teradomari Port

C

D

E

Illustration of Sado (Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property)
Period: 1681–1684 Dimensions: 95 cm high, 96 cm wide
This is a map drawn in the late 17th century depicting the transport network, as well as the landforms and climate of the island.

Cultural Properties in Sado
For more information on Sado’s cultural properties, please visit Sado City’s website,‘Cultural Properties in Sado.’https://www.city.sado.niigata.jp/z_ot/cultural_property/index.html

Temple Guardians: Ungyo 259 cm, Agyo 258 cm
Front cover image is one of the wooden Temple Guardians of Choanji Temple(Tangible Cultural Property of Sado City). This pair of statues has high artistic
value and exhibits the style of the Kei School of Buddhist Sculpture.

Published in March 2018
Contact / Publisher : World Heritage Promotion Section, Sado City 232 Chigusa, Sado, Niigata, 952-1292 tel. +81 (0)259-63-3111 (main number)

Unauthorized reproduction of the content of this brochureincluding text, maps and pictures is prohibited.