Unexplored Japan: Road Trip Through Toyama Into Sado Island

Unexplored Japan: Road Trip Through Toyama Into Sado Island

okay welcome it’s about 5:50 in the morning um I think I’m a little late i wanted to get out for golden hour which is uh 5 when the sun comes up uh I was just so tired um got to go out there i got to go get it i’m wasting precious photography time i’m tired and I’ I’d like to eat breakfast but you know what they say there ain’t no rest for the wicked money don’t grow on trees okay so we’re going to start taking photos we’re going to follow the the map app and we’ll we’ll see how it goes [Music] so there’s this bridge that you have to [Music] cross so we’re underneath the bridge right now and you take your bike and you’d walk it across and you can kind of see outside [Music] [Music] one of Toy Pyama’s specialties is melon so we’re going to try this melon [Music] frappe it’s always me eating isn’t it it’s always me eating or drinking or something anyway cheers hat [Music] [Music] there’s the car it’s parked right now because we’re on a ferry boat we’re heading to Sano Island for the inspection now a lot of people don’t know this but I actually have a fear of the open ocean so it should be fun on the open ocean right you good bro [Music] [Music] [Music] it’s like beer without all the fun parts zero calories and zero alcohol cheers [Music] this is where my hostel is you can see that’s where the laundry machine is the laundry room i might actually do some laundry and here’s we have our room so normally that’s locked so I’ll unlock it but it is a pretty swanky looking uh I love the industrial cheek look they come with here so our room is number one we’re like the closest to Max Penman will get as being the same number and something so um here’s the room it’s like pretty pretty simple and bare bones but it’s it’s nice in that regard actually i I kind of like it there’s all my crap sorry he had to see that this little It almost kind of looks like a prison cell hey yeah so I’m going to take my stuff and go to where the cafe and bar are there’s a nice uh co-working space so I’m going to take my at least my my notebook and my sketchbook and and stuff and head down there and see if I can do a little bit of admin work and drink a beer even though I’m trying to get off beer we’re actually right in front of a temple and the cool part about this hostel is there’s like a big main building that I’ll show you it’s a little it’s a little bit down this way about a 5minute walk away oo it’s a little cold i’m glad I’m not here at a colder part of the year you can see just the faint outline of of that temple entrance it’s cold anyway it’s time to do the the unsexy part of the job so tour guiding is really fun you know when you’re you’re going around facing the customers um but then there’s the the admin work the the expensor well honestly it’s not too bad but it’s it’s it’s tiring and and stressful after a long day of work I would say so it’s realistically not too bad uploading receipts keeping track of your expenses obviously um if your company gets audited they need things like your rece responding to emails and writing writing reports and things that are are things that need to be done obviously um it’s it’s a little bit annoying but what are you what are you going to do see there is a co-working space [Music] so number two is a session IPA number one is a smash i think I’m going to start with number one [Music] [Applause] well it’s time to leave the inn and get to driving our trusty steed awaits [Music] it’s another partly cloudy day which means it’s kind of perfect for photos look how beautiful this is right here [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] i was driving and I saw this interesting I don’t know there’s like a path over here i think it’s a shrine or something but let’s see what it is [Music] oh this is epic it looks like there was a path here at one [Music] point that is insane oh there’s like a path over here how epic oh this is where the path ends oh there it is okay [Music] [Music] [Music] there’s a little natural tide pool here that was a pretty cool find huh i think this is one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever driven on not only do we have the seaside but we have this nice grassy green mountain honestly I really enjoyed myself and there there’s so much more to do um like I didn’t ride the tub boats there’s a gold mine here there’s there’s all sorts of stuff that I I didn’t get to do because really it was just you know drive drive on the cycling roads inspect the condition make sure they’re safe and and take beautiful photos for promotion so [Music] um I didn’t record this but you should have seen um because I was running out of time I couldn’t like lolly and take photos i had to run so I’d parked the car run to the spot I’d wanted to take the photo take a couple photos and then run back um I took that one that one break uh where the water was coming into that little cove there but uh yeah just go go go 100% so now it’s time to line up for the ferry boat it’s nice to be leaving the island while there’s still some sun because last time when I left it was uh too dark to actually see anything [Music] all right going to line up for the [Music] ferry the sea’s a lot calmer today which is nice yesterday was kind of chopping about pushing me around [Music] [Music] into the belly of the [Music] beast there’s an escalator feels like Bioshocks or something oh truck brakes i think I’m going to get an ice cream today i actually wanted one of those yesterday but they closed before I should get [Music] one so here’s the roof of the boat i actually didn’t come up here the other time because it was too cold good thing I know where the uh emergency boat exit is too so [Music] [Music] Handy get one [Music] the bus has arrived at Nigata so head to the [Music] car okay so now is just the waiting game we have to wait until we we land and they let us out open the doors they’ve removed all the tire blocks already i’ve had my side brake on always put your side brake on i know some people who don’t um but their cars also sometimes roll down the hill and crash into things so always put your side brake on even if you’re in an automatic so I got this map code in my rental papers so I put it in and this is the destination that we return the car to so we’ll just hit that seems right it’s going to be a bumpy ride i have to put gas in this Aqua and I haven’t put gas in it the entire time I’ve been driving it and we’re still at we’re almost at half a tank so that’s it’s actually surprising uh what the technology can do i’m surprised Toyota isn’t an F1 because MGUK or the uh um electrical engine with the mechanical engine is quite a kind of a a thing right now in in F1 so technically Gazoo Racing is sponsored with HS but that’s that’s a side story you guys don’t need to hear but anyway I was surprised with the the amount of gas that we had to put in there i I’ll see how much it takes to fill up um I was thinking 5,000 6,000 yen and if not then I will just be amazed by this car even more so it is golden hour unfortunately not really shooting much video right now i will do I might stop at this convenience store to get cash out no I’ll be okay saying bye-bye to my little Toyota Aqua it was a really nice car so I’m going to see if I can get an earlier train cuz the one I have is scheduled at 8:30 my first time at Nigata Station after all these years of wanting to go to Nigata I finally made it hard off Stadium it’s time to catch my rather late train to Tokyo

Unexplored Japan: Road Trip Through Toyama Into Sado Island

Come along on an off-the-beaten-path road trip through Japan’s hidden coastline! I started in Takaoka, cruising along the scenic Toyama coastal road with a quick melon cream soda stop at Hisui Terrace before heading to the stunning Jade Coast in Itoigawa. After reaching Niigata Port, I boarded a ferry bound for Sado Island—complete with some ferry ramen, of course.

The next day, I drove around nearly the entire island, staying overnight at Perch. Along the way, I stopped by Meotoiwa (Couple’s Rock), explored the dramatic Seki Coast, and visited the peaceful Zenpoji Shrine. Finally, I caught the ferry back to Niigata and hopped on a train back to Tokyo.

This one’s for fans of slow travel, coastal views, and Japan’s lesser-known gems. Enjoy the ride.

📌 Locations Visited:
Takaoka

Hisui Terrace (Melon Café)

Jade Coast, Itoigawa

Niigata Port → Sado Island Ferry

Perch (Sado stay)

Meotoiwa (Couple’s Rock)

Seki Coast

Zenpoji Shrine

Tokyo (return)

Thanks for watching you can keep up with me below. I’ll upload some photos of my trip later!!

Thank You

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