We visited Sado Island, you should too

After almost four years in Japan, and several trips shared on YouTube, our blog, and TikTok, I wanted to go somewhere truly off the usual route. Sado Island.

Sado Island is a quiet island off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, on the northwestern coast of Japan. You reach it by ferry, and it is not a typical tourist stop. The more I researched, the more I found a beautiful place with a history of its own. My husband and I decided to go.

This is the story of that trip, including the parts that did not go to plan.

I watched a few travel videos, then used Google and Gemini to fill in the gaps. I booked the hotel and the transport.

Hotel: Hotel Oosado, ¥185,060 for 2 nights in September 2026.

Rental car: picked up on the mainland for September 5–7, 2026, ¥20,772.

Bullet train: the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Hakutaka, between Tokyo Station and Joetsumyoko Station. The ride is about 280 kilometers, or 175 miles, and takes roughly 2 hours each way.

The plan was to drive to Tokyo Station, take the Hakutaka to Joetsumyoko, pick up the rental car, and drive to the ferry port. The last ferry was at 7:30 p.m., and we were due in Niigata at 5:14 p.m. That looked like enough time.

On the Shinkansen, we checked the ferry times again. The ferry closest to our station did not have a departure that worked.

The other port in Niigata was about two hours away. We still had to pick up the car, finish the paperwork, load the bags, and drive. We decided to try. Then we hit the real problem: every car ferry had to be booked before 9:00 p.m. the day before. We could not take the car across that night.

We switched plans. If we rented a car on the island, we could cross as passengers. It meant a longer ferry ride and less time to explore, but it was better than sleeping in the car.

At Joetsumyoko Station we took a taxi and said we were rushing for a ferry. I showed the driver our Japanese ticket, with the port and the departure time. He nodded, and we left.

At first we were making good time. Then my husband, watching Google Maps, said, “Uh-oh. That was a wrong turn.”

I thought the driver was avoiding traffic. After a second wrong turn, we understood. He was taking us to Naoetsu Port, not Niigata Port. By the time we stopped, the boat was gone. No car, no ferry, and no way onto the island that night.

We asked the driver to take us back to the station so we could pick up the rental car, eat, and find a room.

We stopped at a busy local Italian restaurant. My husband liked his meal. Mine, an Italian rice and cheese dish, was not for me, but we were glad to have a hot meal. While we ate, we booked the first car ferry the next morning.

Missing the first night was a real disappointment. Hotel Oosado was already paid for, and it was non-refundable. Paying for another room on the mainland made it worse.

The first hotel only had a smoking room, which we did not want. The second wanted more than ¥22,000 for a few hours. An internet café needed a membership that did not make sense for visitors.

We booked an APA Hotel. This is not a sponsored mention. The location was easy, the staff were helpful, and we slept well.

We left early and drove to the port. After the day before, boarding was stressful, but the staff were kind. They lined up the car, and after a short wait we were on.

Our second-class tickets included food vending machines, seats on the deck, and a carpeted area where you can lie down. Near the vending machines, a counter lends a blanket for ¥100. We napped and were ready by the time we arrived.

A note for next time: at Ogi Port there are car rental offices at the terminal. Sado Island has no trains. Renting on the island can save the cost of taking a car on the ferry.

Hotel Oosado was in a good spot, even with a few roads closed for a sporting event. We found an ATM at a convenience store, then had lunch at Agan Sado Store, an Indian and Nepali restaurant.

The tub boats were the reason we came. I recommend Shukunegi Tarai. These cedar and bamboo boats were made by local craftspeople for fishing along the coast. High wind kept us on the shorter route, so check the weather, but the ride was a highlight.

A two-minute walk away, we did the Shukunegi Caves Trail and walked through Shukunegi Village. The village asks for a ¥100 donation.

That afternoon we sat on the hotel patio by the infinity pond. It faces the sunset, and there is a footbath under the seating.

Dinner was the other surprise. I had said I was vegetarian, and the staff made a full meat-free meal. My husband had local seafood and wagyu. We were too full for dessert.

We then booked the private onsen, the Tarai-bune no Yu bath. The tub is shaped like the boats we had ridden that day. You can change the temperature, and the window looks onto the dark ocean and the lights of ships.

The next morning we left early for the ferry from Ryotsu Port. Sado’s ports are on opposite sides of the island.

The car’s GPS said we were on time. Google Maps said we were late. We rushed, then realized Google was adding the ferry lineup to the drive. We still had time.

The return ferry was larger and busier, probably because triathlon participants were heading home. It was less comfortable than the smaller ship, but it got us to Niigata. We returned the car, took the Hakutaka back to Tokyo, and started the drive home.

The trip cost more than we planned, and the first night never happened. The island was still worth it. I hope the mistakes are useful if you go, and that you book the car ferry the day before.

Thank you for reading, and safe travels.