The Izu Peninsula, in English
Hot springs, volcanic coastline, early cherry blossoms and some of the clearest water near Tokyo. Practical, sourced guides to the peninsula, written for visitors from abroad.
Plan your trip
Four guides that bring our pages together by theme.
A long stay in Izu from elsewhere in Asia: visas, where to base yourself and what to budget
Planning weeks rather than days in Izu from Singapore or another Asian base: visa rules, the best towns for a long stay, monthly costs and how it compares with keeping your city home.
Read the long-stay guideNew this season
When to visit Izu: a month-by-month guide to flowers, festivals and beaches
Plum blossoms in January, Japan's earliest cherry blossoms in February, hydrangeas in June, beaches in summer and maple leaves in late autumn: what each month brings on the Izu Peninsula.
Getting around Izu without a car: trains, buses and the passes worth buying
How the JR Ito line, the Izukyu line, the Izuhakone Railway and Tokai Bus fit together, which rail passes cover them, and the bus passes that make the south and west affordable.
Izu Peninsula Geopark: five easy volcanic sites to see in a day or two
A UNESCO Global Geopark since 2018: Mount Omuro, the Jogasaki coast, Joren Falls, the Ryugu sea cave and Dogashima, with what to look for at each.
A day in Atami from Tokyo: the plum garden, a 2,000-year-old camphor tree and the MOA Museum
Forty minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen: Kinomiya Shrine and its sacred camphor tree, the Atami Plum Garden, the MOA Museum of Art and an evening bath by the sea.
Nishi-Izu by bus: Dogashima's sea caves, Koganezaki's golden cliffs and Matsuzaki
Izu's quiet west coast: boat trips into Tensodo cave, the tombolo at low tide, sunset at Cape Koganezaki and the old merchant town of Matsuzaki, with bus times from Shuzenji.
Shimoda in a day: Perry Road, Ryosenji, the ropeway and the black ship harbour
Where Japan's isolation ended: a walking day in Shimoda from the station to Ryosenji temple and Perry Road, up the ropeway and out to the beaches and the Ryugu sea cave.
Choosing an onsen town in Izu: Atami, Ito, Shuzenji, Shimoda and Inatori compared
Seafront resort, bathhouse town, river valley or beach: how Izu's main hot spring towns differ, and which suits a first visit, a romantic weekend or a long stay.
Autumn in Shuzenji: maple leaves, evening light-ups and a hot bath (2026 season)
Izu's maples turn late, from mid-November into December. Where to see them around Shuzenji, the 2026 light-up dates announced so far, and where to warm up afterwards.
Kawazu-zakura 2027: planning a February trip for Japan's earliest cherry blossoms
Kawazu's deep-pink cherries bloom a month or more before Tokyo's. What we know about the 2027 season, how the festival usually runs, and how to beat the crowds.
Start here
Getting to the Izu Peninsula from Tokyo: trains, buses and driving
The Odoriko and Saphir Odoriko limited expresses, the Shinkansen to Atami or Mishima, and how to get around once you arrive.
Kawazu Nanadaru: walking the Seven Waterfalls and the teahouses on the way
A forest trail of about one kilometre past seven waterfalls in the Kawazu valley, from the 30-metre Odaru to the loop bridge.
Ryugu Sea Cave: Shimoda's heart-shaped skylight
A sea-eroded cave whose collapsed roof forms a skylight about 50 metres across, heart-shaped when seen from the path above.
Jogasaki Coast: lava cliffs and the Kadowaki suspension bridge
A short walk along black volcanic cliffs between Izu-Kogen and Ito, with a 48-metre suspension bridge over the surf.
Kanaya Ryokan: bathing in Sennin-buro, Japan's largest wooden bath
A long-established inn in Kochi Onsen near Shimoda whose cypress bath, about 15 by 5 metres, is said to be the biggest in Japan.
Shuzenji: the bamboo forest path, the temple and the autumn leaves
Izu's classic onsen town: a 300-metre bamboo path by the Katsura river, a temple said to date from 807, and maples in November.
Through the seasons
Tsumekizaki Narcissus Festival (20 December – 31 January)
Over three million white narcissus bloom on the Suzaki peninsula east of Shimoda in midwinter.
Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival (February – early March)
Japan's best-known early cherry blossoms: about 850 Kawazu-zakura trees along the Kawazu river, in bloom from early February.
Izu-Kogen cherry avenue and festival (late March – early April)
A long avenue of Somei-Yoshino cherry trees that starts a few minutes from Izu-Kogen station, lit up at night during the festival.
Shimoda Hydrangea Festival (June)
Throughout June, about 150,000 hydrangea plants and 3 million blooms cover Shimoda Park.
Inatori Hosono Highlands: silver grass in autumn
A 125-hectare upland above Inatori where pampas grass (susuki) turns silver and gold from October to November.
Black Ship Festival (Kurofune Matsuri), Shimoda
Each May, Shimoda commemorates the 1854 arrival of Commodore Perry's fleet with parades, ceremonies and fireworks over the harbour.
Beaches
South Izu beaches, part 1: easy sandy beaches for families
Long white-sand beaches with lifeguards, showers and parking: Shirahama Ohama, Kisami Ohama, Tatadohama, Yumigahama and Imaihama.
South Izu beaches, part 2: clear-water coves
Smaller beaches with famously clear water and rocks at the edges: Iritahama, Sotoura and Nabeta.
South Izu beaches, part 3: rocky coves for confident swimmers
Hirizo, Kumomi and the rocky west: snorkelling spots with few or no facilities, where you need to plan and take care.