Sado

Sado is the largest island in the Sea of Japan, approximately 50 kilometers in a northwest direction off the coast of Niigata City. Sado Island's topography consists of Osado mountain range in the northwest and Kosado mountain range in the southeast with the Kuninaka Plain stretching in between them. The shore on the northwestern side of the Osado mountain range is a scenic spot where countless numbers of reefs spread on the precipices. The area around this shore is designated as Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Park.
In 1601, a gold mine was discovered on this island and soon it turned into an important financial resource of the government of Edo. In its prime, this gold mine's production volume was the highest in the country. Today, it functions as a tourist attraction where scenes of mining back from those days have been recreated.
Sado Island is also well-known as the land where Toki (Japanese crested ibis), a bird considered to be extinct, was found to be surviving. At the Tokinomori Koen (park) in Sado City, there now are almost 100 Toki that are being raised and protected through breeding activities.
Blessed with a rich natural environment, Sado also was a penal colony in the past. For this reason, the upper-class culture of the nobles was introduced while various other cultures such as the Edo culture arising from gold mining found their respective places on this island. With so many cultures being passed on to this date, Sado certainly enjoys a wealth of tourism resources. The island is indeed filled with so many attractive features including Senkaku Bay's coastal beauty, rice terraces found on the side of the mountain path of Ogura all the way up the mountains, and traditional performing arts such as Sado Okesa (folk songs). Additionally, many stores selling fresh local seafood are found on the shopping streets in the vicinity of Ryotsu Port, the gateway to Sado.