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Sado's central plain is the most heavily populated part of the island and home to a number of impressive temples, some dating back to the eighth century. Two routes cross this plain linking Ryotsu to owns on the west coast: the main highway cuts snorth of Kamo-ko and Sado airport to Sawata , served by buses on the Hon-sen route (line #1), while the quieter, southerly route takes you through Niibo , Hatano and Mano along the Minami-sen bus route (line #2). The majority of historical sights lie scattered across this southern district - for many of them you'll need your own transport or be prepared to walk a fair amount. One solution is to rent a bike either in Mano's information office or at the Green Village Youth Hostel . Sado's most accessible and important temple, Konpon-ji (daily 8am-4/5.30pm; Y300), is located a few kilometres south of Niibo village; buses from Ryotsu run roughly every hour up to 2pm, then every thirty minutes. Konpon-ji marks the spot where the exiled Nichiren lived in 1271, though the temple itself was founded some years later. If you can get there before the coach parties, it's a pleasant stroll round the mossy garden with its thatched temple buildings filled with elaborate gilded canopies, presided over by a statue of Nichiren in his characteristic monk's robes. Backtracking a little way east from Konpon-ji along the main road, take the turning southeast signed to Onogawa Dam and follow the lane up a gentle valley. After about 2km you'll see, to your right, the crumbling steps of Seisui-ji . Founded in 808, this faded temple surrounded by cryptomeria trees and dancing dragonflies receives few visitors. Though it seems abandoned, its wooden terrace, built in imitation of Kyoto's famous Kiyomizu-dera , has recently been repaired. On the eastern outskirts of MANO, Myosen-ji was founded by one of Nichiren's first disciples and includes a graceful five-storey pagoda. Nearby Kokubun-ji dates from 741 though the temple's present buildings were erected in the late seventeenth century. If you follow this sideroad south, skirting round the back of Mano town, you come to a simple shrine dedicated to Emperor Juntoku. He's actually buried about 800m further up the valley, but the next-door Sado Rekishi-Densetsukan (daily 8am-5.30pm; Y700) is more interesting. This museum, also known as Toki-no-sato, is similar in style to Ryotsu's No museum , though in this case the robots and holograms represent Juntoku, Nichiren and other characters from local history or folk-tales. Each scene only lasts a couple of minutes and, on the whole, they're easy enough to follow. The museum lies about thirty minutes' walk southeast from central Mano and about ten minutes from the nearest bus stop, Mano goryo-iriguchi, on the route from Sawata south to Ogi (line #10). A few kilometres north along the coast from Mano, SAWATA now serves as Sado's main administrative centre, though here, too, there's no particular reason to stop unless you're changing buses or need accommodation. If you happen to be passing through around lunchtime, pop along to the Silver Village resort, on the town's northern outskirts, to see a brief display of bunya , a form of seventeenth-century puppetry performed by a master puppeteer (April-Nov daily except Wed 12.45pm & 1.30pm; Y350).
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