Do
Activities, beaches and the outdoors on the Izu Peninsula.
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.
Cape Irozaki and the Irozaki sightseeing cruise
Izu's southern tip: a lighthouse, a shrine built into the cliff, and short boat trips past sea stacks and caves.
Hirizo Beach: Izu's boat-only snorkelling cove
A rocky cove near Cape Irozaki reached only by a five-minute boat ride from Nakagi in summer, with some of the clearest water in Izu.
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.
Sotoura Beach: Shimoda's sheltered bay
A calm, enclosed bay close to Shimoda, good for paddling, kayaks and SUP when the open coast is rough.
Iwachi Beach: Matsuzaki's calm bay on the west coast
A small, shallow bay with white-walled inns that locals like to call Izu's 'Oriental Mediterranean'.
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in Shimoda
Why Shimoda's sheltered coves are ideal for a first SUP lesson, and what to expect.
The Izu Peninsula Geopark for beginners: a volcanic island that crashed into Japan
How a chain of undersea volcanoes drifted north and joined Honshu, and where to see the evidence on the ground.
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.