Senkakuwan Bay
Feed seagulls while you admire Sado Island’s rugged coastline.
? This location is in Niigata Prefecture — GaijinPot Travel’s No. 1 place to visit in 2018! ?
What is worth seeing doesn’t come easy. Sado Island’s iconic Senkakuwan Bay, a ferry ride away from mainland Niigata Prefecture, is a paragon of that.
Located an hour away from the main Ryotsu Port, Senkakuwan Bay — meaning “sharp pavilion” in Japanese — is a massive-and-picturesque coastline. As you approach the bay area, you will see the opening of a three-kilometer long rugged coastline consisting steep cliffs and mysteriously blue waters.
A boundless ocean, lined by beautifully rugged cliffs, will unfold in front of your eyes.
Senkakuwan Bay is part of the bigger marine park called Senkakuwan Ageshima-Yuen in Japanese. As you get off the bus, you’ll see a souvenir shop right in front of you, where you can purchase an admission ticket.
The recommended way to enjoy the views is of course by using the staircases provided to get to designated observation decks, however, you could also climb through huge rocks to get closer with the bay and admire the Yusenkyo Bridge on the sea level. On a sunny day, though, the rocks can get quite hot so wear gloves and sturdy footwear if you want to do this.
Photo by: Cara Lam View of Senkakuwan Bay.
For a panoramic view of Senkakuwan Bay, though, make your way to the observation deck. A boundless ocean, lined by beautifully rugged cliffs, will unfold in front of your eyes. You will also see a few boats lined up near the coast— take a chance to hop on one of those too.
The glass-bottom boat tour
Every year from mid-March to late November, you can ride the park’s glass-bottom boat to get close-up views of the cliff formations and small shallow water fish in the area. Purchase the ticket for the 15-minute boat tour together with the park ticket. The boarding area is only a staircase below the main observation area.
If you want, you can even feed seagulls with the shrimp crackers sold at the boarding area. While it makes for some spectacular photograph, please note that the seagulls can get quite aggressive so hold tight to your camera or phone while you feed them!
Photo by: Cara Lam The seagulls will invade your personal bubble for the shrimp crackers.
If you’re not taking the boat ride, rest assured that you can still check out the fish found in the area surrounding Sado at the park’s aquarium.
Prepare to spend a few hours at this breathtaking park!
Know before you go
This park is open 7 days a week throughout the year. However, the opening hours change slightly depending on the month: December – February: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; March – April, November: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.; May – October: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Entrance fee for the park is ¥550 for adults and ¥280 for children. The additional fee for the glass boat is ¥1,100 for adults and ¥550 for children.
Topics: hiking, Islands, nature, niigata, sado island
