Nikko & Sado Island holiday in Japan

Planet

• The areas of Nikko, Tsubame-Sanjo, and Sado are particularly precious areas to Japan's rich cultural and historical heritage. Tsubame-Sanjo has had a profound economic and cultural impact on the country through its evolution of metalworking. Sado's rich Noh theatre traditions have spread roots on the island and to this day promote beautiful, authentic performances true to its origins. Nikko's marvelously ornate temple complex has stood for hundreds of years in memory of one of Japan's founding warlords. Through this tour and tours like it, we aim to reinforce precious rural areas around the country by introducing them to overseas visitors who have yet to experience them.

• This tour primarily uses public transportation (bullet train, ferry) and encourages able-bodied customers to navigate their stay on Sado by rental bicycle. The island is relatively small and boundlessly beautiful. Notice as you travel how the rice fields shine and the ocean glimmers. We encourage all of our visitors to enjoy the sights without leaving a deep carbon footprint behind.

People

• Our focus as a company is to rejuvenate the countryside through tourism, so we always seek out restaurants recommended and owned by locals. Restaurants that use locally-sourced foods are always the priority, as freshness and familiarity often lead to unforgettable mealtime experiences. We also use locally-owned hotels and traditional-style inns whose success will directly benefit the local community. In Tsubame-Sanjo specifically, enjoy your scrumptious lunch in a restaurant where all the silverware and cutlery were made by local metalworking artisans. (Even the impressively intricate chandelier on the ceiling is a local metal creation!)

• Due to its history as a place of exile for aristocratic cultural types, the island of Sado has a long, rich history of Noh theatre. Once exclusively an art form devoted to the worship of gods, Noh became a popular form of entertainment that today is more and more threatened by extinction. Our tour supports this local, national treasure.