Dawn is still several hours away when we arrive at Ogi Port, on Sado Island’s southeast corner. The town is dark and silent as we cast our lines ashore and secure the boat.
As soon as the lines are made, we fall into our bunks, exhausted after a three-day voyage north through the Sea of Japan, or East Sea.
We plan to rest for 24 hours and then carry on towards Hokkaido, Japan’s main northern island, to escape the summer heat and typhoons of the country’s southern waters.
After several hours of sleep, we walk into the town of Ogi in search of a late breakfast, stopping at Origine, a tiny six-seat restaurant where all is quiet, with no chef or customers in sight.
The port town of Ogi, in the south of Sado Island. Photo: Shutterstock
“These are the croissants I read about in the online reviews,” my partner says, pointing to a tray of flaky pastries. Fresh croissants after days of stodgy on-board meals are too much to pass up, so we sit down and wait, given hope by the fact that the kitchen counter shows signs of recent activity: used mixing bowls and cutting boards, ingredients chopped and ready for the stove.
Fifteen minutes later, just as we are about to leave, the chef steps inside from the street, surprised to see he has customers. Soon, we are drinking fresh coffee and enjoying a French-inspired brunch.
AloJapan.com