Take to the waters on Sado’s special tub boats

There are many vessels that are able to traverse the seas and oceans. Ships, yachts, catamarans, canoes, and kayaks, but what about wooden tubs? On Sado Island, located a short ferry ride off the coast of Niigata, some of the locals have an unusual way of setting out to sea. They’re called tarai-bune, literally meaning “wash tub”.

Why a wash tub? What makes it more practical than a regular shaped boat? Well, due to the many coves around Sado, which can be narrow and winding, the tub boats are easily maneuverable, able to go in any direction thanks to their round shape. You may have even caught a glimpse of these boats in the iconic Studio Ghibli film, ‘Spirited Away’. They were first used for fishing in the Meiji Period (1968 – 1912) and are now one of the many unique Sado experiences you can take part in when visiting the island. 

When I first discovered I would be visiting Sado, my first response was to look it up online. So intrinsic are they to the island, upon googling Sado, the first four images that appear are of their famous tub boats bobbing in aquamarine water around the lush coastline. I knew immediately upon seeing these images that this was something I had to give a go during my time there. 

There are a few places across the island where you can try tarai-bune. Whilst I was visiting for the annual Earth Celebration music festival which took place in the harbor of Ogi Town, there were rides being offered right by the festivities. This meant that, whilst the concert was ongoing, visitors could head out to sea at sunset in a tarai-bune and listen to the skilled Kodo taiko performers’ music wafting across the waters. Another popular location is by the tiny islands of Yajima and Kyojima (also near Ogi), which are connected by an iconic Japanese red bridge. Here, you can explore the two islands from the tubs, allowing you to take in the picturesque scenery. 

My own tarai-bune experience was found on the jagged coastline next to the small village Shukunegi. The village in itself is worth a visit, with its traditional wooden buildings creating a tightly packed labyrinth of alleys you can wander through at leisure.

The tub boats can be found in the inlet, which boasts spiny rock formations that appear almost like the back of a scaly beast peeking out of the surface. The tarai-bune companies usually operate throughout the daytime, with most places stating their hours are from nine in the morning to five in the evening, but thanks to the festival and the influx of tourists, sunset and night tours were also being offered. 

This was lucky for me as the Kodo performance had gone on well into the evening and I desperately wanted to try out a tarai-bune before leaving the island the following day. Myself and my friends arrived at the location later in the evening, with the sunset over and the dark having settled in. We were greeted by flaming beacons, which the company had placed not only at the embarkation point but along the course we were to head out on, meaning that our path was marked by flickering firelight straight out of a fantasy novel (yes, I jumped at the opportunity to cry out, “the beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid!”).  

Using one paddle, our guide skillfully weaved around the rocks taking us out to the open water where the inky black waters melded into the night sky. Here, we could look up at the stars and look back at the silhouette of the island behind us. As we headed back in, our guide brought us to a shallow section near the dock and told us to look down into the water and pebbles below. She then took her paddle and moved the pebbles around revealing bioluminescent algae, which glittered faintly. We then headed back, thanked our guide, and it was over. 

It took roughly 20 minutes to half an hour from beginning to end and was such a fantastic experience. I truly felt I had stepped back in time, bobbing in the open water with flaming beacons lighting the way and the stars shining above me. It was such a simple yet rewarding experience, and I hope that if you head to Sado Island, you get the opportunity to experience it too.