Izu Peninsula

Hot springs, volcanic coast and beaches

The Izu Peninsula is in Shizuoka Prefecture about 60 mi southwest of Tokyo. Its east coast has bayside resorts such as Atami and Ito. The west coast is quieter and has sea caves at Dogashima. The south has the beaches of Shimoda. Inland, Shuzenji is a classic onsen town with a bamboo grove path. Volcanic scenery is found across the peninsula, from the cliffs of Jogasaki Coast to the grassy cone of Mount Omuro. Atami and Mishima are around an hour or less from Tokyo by shinkansen, so it works as a weekend trip. Covering the whole length takes several days or a car.

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Region in Japan

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$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.8

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	9

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3/5

English is widely understood on the Izu Peninsula, especially in popular towns and tourist spots. Most hotels, restaurants and attractions offer bilingual staff, making communication smooth for visitors.

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Last update: Oct 20, 2026

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Izu Peninsula Summary

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Excellent for coastal scenery and hot springs. Soak in seaside onsen, drive scenic roads, hike cliffs and enjoy fresh seafood.

Place score

8.3

Best at:

Spotless

Natural sites

Hot springs

Sea

Local cuisine

Personal score

Suited for

👶 6

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

❤️ 8

Couples

Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) $1 ≈ ¥158
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transportation.
Obon (August)	A time to honor ancestors, many businesses close, and transportation can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transportation is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colors of the months:
The color shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the color is shows the travel season: full color means high season, soft color means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The gray info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Izu Peninsula, Japan

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Jan

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Feb

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Mar

🌦️

Apr

🌦️

May

🌦️

Jun

🌦️

Jul

🔥

Aug

🌦️

Sep

⛈️

Oct

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Nov

☀️

Dec

High season:	Feb. - March, May, July - Aug., Nov.
Shoulder season:	Jan., April, Sep. - Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	5 (Moderate tourist numbers)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Kawazu cherry blossoms bloom early February to early March, much earlier than elsewhere in Japan

Swimming beaches are open only mid July to late August

Typhoon season August to October can cancel ferries and disrupt trains

Don't miss

🛁 Soak in Atami's famed hot spring baths
🏔️ Watch the sunset over Suruga Bay from Cape Koganezaki
🌸 Explore Izu Kogen highland's flower gardens
🧅 Taste kinmedai, Shimoda's famous red fish
🌅 Take a boat into the sea caves of Dogashima

You've been here?

Why travel to Izu Peninsula?

Izu has hot springs and coastal scenery within easy reach of Tokyo. Almost every town has an onsen, from the resort baths of Atami to the riverside town of Shuzenji, where a bamboo grove path is lit in the evenings. The Jogasaki Coast near Ito has black volcanic cliffs and a suspension bridge over a gorge, with free coastal trails. Mount Omuro is a grassy volcanic cone reached by chairlift and you can walk the crater rim. Season matters here. Kawazu's early cherry trees bloom in February and early March during a local festival. Plum blossoms and canola flowers appear around the same time. Hydrangeas flower in June and the beaches around Shimoda draw summer crowds. Atami holds summer fireworks. Autumn is good for walking and winter is quiet, with spiny lobster on menus. Shimoda has historic sites tied to Commodore Perry's 1854 visit and several beaches. On the west coast, Dogashima has sea cave boat tours and a sandbar you can walk across at low tide. A weekend covers one or two areas. The peninsula is long. Driving from Atami to Cape Irozaki takes about 2.5 hours, so pick a coast and base yourself there.

🏙️Cities & Regions

1 Atami
A hillside hot spring resort on Sagami Bay and the nearest hot spring escape for visitors from Tokyo. An art museum, an ancient shrine tree, the beach and fireworks over the bay are within reach of the station.
2 Izu
A hot spring city in the center of the Izu Peninsula, covering Shuzenji, Toi and the Amagi mountains. It has a riverside bamboo path, a former gold mine and wasabi grown in the hills, all about two hours from Tokyo.
3 Shimoda
A harbor town where the arrival of Commodore Perry's Black Ships left a stone-paved lane and old temples, with white sand beaches a short bus ride away. Hot spring inns and Japan's largest kinmedai catch complete it.
4 Ito
A hot spring resort on the Pacific side of the Izu Peninsula, about 100 minutes from Tokyo by limited express. Its craggy Jogasaki coastline, an extinct volcano with views and summer sea fireworks give visitors more to do than soak.
5 Kawazu
A small onsen town on the eastern shore of Izu known for cherry trees that bloom in February, weeks before most of Japan. A riverside walk, seven waterfalls and seaside baths fill out a short weekend stay.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Izu Shaboten Zoo
A hands-on zoo near Ito on the Izu Peninsula with about 150 species and a large cactus collection under glass. Capybaras bathe outdoors during the cooler months while many other animals mingle with visitors.
2 Mt. Fuji
3 Shirahama Beach

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Mt. Fuji

🛍️Shopping

1 Gotemba Premium Outlets

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Kinme-Tei
Kinmedai, splendid alfonsino, the fish Shimoda is best known for, at a restaurant inside the fish market. The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch only. It is about a 10-minute walk from Izukyu-Shimoda Station.
2 Shimoda Ryori Kinmeya
Seafood bowls and kinmedai, splendid alfonsino, plus pork cutlet and deep-fried set meals, at a restaurant near the Nesugata-yama ropeway station. The restaurant is a 2-minute walk from Izukyu-Shimoda Station.
3 Shimoda Tokeidai Front
Soba and rice bowls with local kinmedai, plus seafood curry udon, at a shop beside the clock tower in front of Izukyu-Shimoda Station. The shop also sells tea and souvenirs.
4 Atami Ginza Osakana Shokudo
Seafood teppen-don, a rice bowl that always includes otoro, fatty tuna belly and ikura, salmon roe, plus tuna and local fish. The menu also lists seafood kamameshi, rice cooked in a pot. It is in the Atami Ginza area.
5 Amago Chaya Shuzenji Onsen
Amago, a river trout, as sashimi, salt-grilled or kabayaki, a sweet soy glaze, with fresh wasabi. Diners can grate their own wasabi in a wasabi bowl set meal. The producers of the trout and wasabi run the restaurant.
6 Noichi Shokudo
Takaashigani, Japanese spider crab, the pride of the fishing town of Heda, plus seafood set meals, at a restaurant with sea views. It is a 5-minute walk from the Heda Port bus stop and has free parking.
7 Uogashi
Local fish dishes at a Japanese-style restaurant on the national highway, with fresh crab and lobster also on the menu. It is a 1-minute walk from the closest train station, Izukyu-Shimoda.

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Book Odoriko seats ahead because every seat is reserved.
Kawazu's early cherry trees peak in February and early March, long before most of Japan's blossoms.
East coast roads jam up on weekends and holidays, while the west and south are usually lighter.
Japan Rail Pass holders pay a supplement on the private Izukyu Line between Ito and Shimoda.

How to travel to Izu Peninsula

Trains from Tokyo are the easiest way. The Tokaido Shinkansen reaches Atami in about 40 to 50 minutes and Mishima in about 45 to 60 minutes. The Odoriko limited express runs direct from Tokyo and Shinjuku, with reserved seats only. From Tokyo Station it takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to Atami, roughly 2 hours to Shuzenji, around 2 hours 36 minutes to Kawazu and about 2 hours 49 minutes to Izukyu-Shimoda. From Kyoto or Osaka take the shinkansen to Atami or Mishima and change to local lines. Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT) are the nearest major airports and both connect through Tokyo. By car, the east coast is about two hours from Tokyo, longer in weekend traffic. Japan Rail Pass holders can ride the shinkansen and the Odoriko to Atami, but the private Izukyu and Izuhakone lines cost extra.

Access summary

From Tokyo Narita (NRT): Shinkansen to Izu-Nagaoka (90 min); local train 30 min.
From Tokyo Haneda (HND): Keikyu Line to Shinagawa, then local train 60–80 min.
By ferry from Numazu Port: 1.5 hours to Izu Peninsula.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Izu Peninsula

Hot spring ryokan are the main style of lodging on Izu. Atami and Ito have large resort hotels and ryokan on the east coast. Shuzenji has riverside inns in a quieter setting. Shimoda has beachside lodging and guesthouses, while the west coast around Dogashima has small inns and fishing village lodging. Choose a base by the sights you want. Atami and Ito suit short trips from Tokyo, Kawazu works for the early cherry season and Shimoda is better for beaches. Many ryokan include dinner and breakfast with local seafood, which also saves you looking for restaurants in smaller towns. Rooms book out well ahead for the Kawazu festival season, summer beach weekends and holidays. If you only have a day, Tokyo or Mishima are practical bases and Atami is an easy trip from either.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Tokinoyu Setsugetsuka -Kyoritsu Resort

8.9

Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori ORIX HOTELS & RESORTS

9.1

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone Suimeisou Hotel

9.0

Numazu Riverside Hotel

8.5

FUJISAN MISHIMA TOKYU HOTEL

9.1

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

8.9

Prince Smart Inn Atami

8.6

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Izu Peninsula

Trains cover the east coast, while the west and south depend on buses or a car.

Trains:
The JR Ito Line links Atami and Ito and the Izukyu Line continues to Izukyu-Shimoda, with local trains roughly twice an hour. Atami to Shimoda takes about 90 minutes by local train or about 70 by limited express. In the north, the Izuhakone Line links Mishima and Shuzenji in about 35 minutes.

Buses:
The west and south coasts depend on Tokai Buses. Buses accept major IC cards and several day passes exist for areas such as Atami, Ito and Jogasaki. Services thin out away from the main towns, so check the timetable before planning a day.

Rental cars:
Rental cars are available near Mishima, Atami, Ito, Izu Kogen, Shuzenji and Shimoda. Traffic builds on the east coast at busy times while the west and south see less. The Izu Skyline and the Nishi-Izu Skyline are scenic toll roads.

Food in Izu Peninsula

Food on the Izu Peninsula is built around seafood from the surrounding coast. The peninsula also grows wasabi, which is served fresh with fish and used in snacks. Meals tend to be simple and based on what was caught that day.

Seafood:
Kinmedai, the golden eye snapper, is a Shimoda specialty and is served as sashimi at many seafood restaurants in the south of the peninsula. Spiny lobster is on menus in winter, mostly at seafood restaurants and in ryokan dinners.

Ryokan dinners:
Most ryokan serve multi-course dinners built around local fish. Dinner is served at a set time in the early evening, so it's worth confirming the time when you book.

Outside ryokan, towns like Atami, Ito and Shimoda have seafood restaurants, casual diners and sweet shops near the stations and harbors. Many places close in the early evening. The west coast and mountain areas have few restaurants and shops, so it helps to eat when you pass a town and bring snacks for long drives.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when traveling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customize this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-45 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 45% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-17 %

Your exchange rate (USD to JPY) is 17% better than in recent years. That means traveling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when traveling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	$65	$143	$359
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	$35	$90	$180
🍝 Food per day	$23	$43	$130
🚕 Transportation per day	$7	$11	$50

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	$16
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	$6
🍟 Fast food combo	$4.90
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	$9.50
☕ Cappuccino	$2.90
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l / 16 oz	$3

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	$1.80
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	$31
⛽ Gas, 1 l / ¼ gal	$1.15

Other

🎞️ Movie ticket	$12
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	$43
🤧 Cold medication	$11.50
💇 Basic haircut	$11.50

Safety information overview

General safety

Izu is very safe with low crime in towns and resorts. The main risks are natural. Strong currents affect some beaches and rocky coasts while typhoons can bring heavy rain in late summer and autumn. The area lies in a volcanic and earthquake prone region.

Health & Medical

Atami, Ito and Shimoda have hospitals and clinics and pharmacies are found in the main towns. Services are thinner on the west and south coasts and in the mountains, so carry regular medication. Summer heat and sun are the main everyday concern.

Accessibility

Accessibility is mixed. Shinkansen and Odoriko stations have lifts but small local stops may have steps. Many sights involve slopes, stairs or uneven coastal paths. Buses on the west and south run less often, so a taxi or rental car may suit limited mobility better.

Tap water

Tap water in Izu is safe to drink like the rest of Japan. Onsen water is for bathing, so don't drink it unless a sign says it's drinkable. Vending machines and shops sell bottled drinks in towns but are few along remote coasts.