Japan Guide
Northern Honshū
Sado-ga-shima
For centuries, the rugged, S-shaped island of Sado-ga-shima was a place of exile for criminals and political undesirables, and even today it has a unique atmosphere, born of its isolation and a distinct cultural heritage that encompasses haunting folk songs, Nō theatre and puppetry, as well as the more recently established Kodô drummers. It's a deceptively large island, consisting of two parallel mountain chains linked by a fertile central plain that shelters most of Sado's historical relics. These include several important temples, such as Kompon-ji, founded by the exiled Buddhist monk Nichiren, and a couple of bizarre, hi-tech museums where robots perform Nō plays and narrate local history.
The Edo-period gold mines of Aikawa, on Sado's northwest coast, make another interesting excursion, but the island's greatest attractions are really its scenery and glimpses of an older Japan, free of McDonald's and other clutter of modern life. Travelling by public bus, it takes at least three days to cover the main areas, so it's well worth considering car rental or an organized tour around the more inaccessible regions.
Sado has a packed calendar of festivals from April to November. Many of these involve okesa folk songs and the devil-drumming known as ondeko (or oni-daiko), both of which are performed nightly during the tourist season in Ogi and Aikawa. Throughout June, Nō groups perform in shrines around the central plain, while the island's biggest event nowadays is the Kodô drummers' international Earth Celebration, held in Ogi. Sports fans may also be interested in attending or taking part in the island's international triathlon ( 
www.sado.gr.jp ), which has been going for over fifteen years; it's generally held in early September.
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