Izu City
Introduction to izu city
Located to the south of Mishima, Izu City is within 2 hours of Tokyo.
Izu City consists of 3 distinct areas – the historic hot spring town of Shuzenji, the central Naka-Izu and the coastal town of Toi.
Highlights of Izu City
Shuzenji Onsen has a history dating back more than 1,200 years to the time of the famous Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi who is said to have discovered the Hot Spring that the town is most famous for.
Naka-Izu encapsulates everything that the interior of Izu is famous for – acres of wasabi fields, fresh flowing water and waterfalls, high mountains, and deep valleys perfect for exploring.
The coastal town of Toi grew around the Toi Kinzan Goldmine and has a long history of traditional Japanese hospitality with many ryokans dotted along the impressive coastline.
Close to Izu City
Nishi Izu
Nishi Izu is a quiet coastal town famous for its stunning sunsets and spectacular coastline.
Izunokuni
Izunokuni is a town with a proud history that is full of surprises, and a mecca for cyclists.
Things to do & See
Food & Drink
Fresh seafood, wasabi, and local produce ensure outstanding culinary experiences.
Cycling
Izu is quickly becoming Japan’s premier destination for cycling enthusiasts.
SUMMER ( June – August – 15 – 35 degrees)
The coastal town of Toi is a great option for Summer as it gives visitors access to many of the great attractions along the West Coast of Izu with a range of traditional ryokan in the area that provides Japanese hospitality.
AUTUMN ( September – November – 10 – 25 degrees)
If you are looking for a quintessential Japanese ryokan experience Shuzenji and some of the ryokan in areas around Naka Izu are worth a visit.
Especially if you do not have the time to travel to Kyoto, Shuzenji gives you the temples, history, red bridges, and bamboo forests nestled in a color palette of reds, oranges, brown and yellow.
WINTER ( December – February – 5 – 20 degrees)
Winter in Japan is a great time to hibernate and reflect on the year just been or the New Year to come.
There is no better way to do some reflective thinking on a cold winter’s day than in an outdoor hot spring after a multi-course Japanese Kaiseki meal.
Visitors have been traveling to a ryokan in Shuzenji during the Winter months for this exact purpose.
SPRING (March – May – 10 – 25 degrees)
If you enjoy getting outdoors and enjoy activities such as golf, hiking or cycling Spring is a great time to visit Izu City.
Izu city has a number of popular hiking trails in the area both up in the Nishi Izu skyline area, around the waterfalls of Naka Izu, and also out on the coast.
Spring is also a great time to get away from the big cities and pitch a tent and Izu City has some great camping options such as Camp Baird situated between the Kano River and the Baird Brewery.
Check out the Camping & Glamping Page for more details.
BY TRAIN
Take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen Kodama from Tokyo Station to Mishima Station and transfer to the local line to Shuzenji. From Shuzenji station you can walk to central Izu in about 10 minutes.
BY CAR
Take the Tomei Expressway from Tokyo and follow signs to Shizuoka. Take the Nagaizumi-Namazu IC towards Izu Jukan Expressway/Mishima/Shimoda. Continue onto Route 136 and Route 414 until you reach Izu City.
GETTING AROUND
Izu City consists of 3 areas and if you want to explore everything it is best to have a car or campervan so you can move around freely and on your own schedule. It is an especially nice area to camp so renting a campervan is a particularly good choice for this area.
There are local bus options available and the Izu Dream Pass is also a good choice if you decide to rely on local transport.
RYOKAN
The Izu City is known for it’s hot springs and traditional ryokan, especially around Toi Onsen, where you can experience an Omotenashi service that includes hot springs, multi-course meals and relaxation.
HOTELS & RESORT HOTELS
There are a number of ‘Western style’ hotels located in and around the Izu City area ranging from budget level to modern Resort Hotels.
MINSHUKU & GUESTHOUSES
There are not many Guesthouse or Minshuku options around Izu City comparatively to other accommodation so it is recommended to book ahead of time if you would like to choose this type of accommodation.
CAMPGROUNDS & CAMPING CAR OPTIONS
Izu city is a great place to camp with a variety of riverside, waterfall and secluded forest locations that help you feel connected to nature.
Check out the camping options at Camp Baird at Baird Brewery and Banjo Waterfall area for more details.
Some useful links to provide more information on Izu City and its surrounding areas.
TOURIST INFORMATION
RULES FOR VISITING WASABI FIELDS IN IZU CITY (PDF)
ARTICLES
* Please understand that some of the information contained in these articles may have changed or no longer be relevant.
OUTDOOR JAPAN – SHIITAKE, SAKE, BEER, WINE, WASABI & WATERFALLS
HIKE SHIZUOKA – MT DARUMA YAMA
TOKYO WEEKENDER – SHUZENJI GUIDE
FOOD & DRINK
Shuzenji Spotlight
For centuries Shuzenji Onsen has been a place for refuge & reflection – it is still the perfect spot to take a moment to refresh your body, mind and spirit.
Check Mount Fuji Travel to find and book activities in Izu City
Izu Shuzenji Okunoin Walking Tour
Enjoy a 10 km walk round trip from Shuzenji Temple to Okunoin Temple.
Nature Hopping & Wasabi Tour
Visit wasabi fields with an explanation of wasabi farming by a wasabi producer.
