JP · Shizuoka Prefecture · 34.86°N 138.93°E
izu peninsula
Lava cliffs, hot-spring towns and small beaches a train ride from Tokyo.
- Best time
- Kawazu's early cherry blossoms come out in February. March–May and October–November are best for coastal walks and hot springs. June is rainy, and August–September brings heat, crowded beaches and typhoon risk.
- How long
- 3–4 days
- Getting there
- Fly from KL to Tokyo (about 7 hours). The Odoriko limited express reaches Ito in about 1 hour 45 minutes and Shimoda in about 2 hours 45 minutes. Japan is an hour ahead of KL.
izu peninsula
Dear group chat,— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingIzu PeninsulaJP, Shizuoka Prefecture
Photo: PHGCOM · CC BY-SA 3.0 Photo: Alpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0 Photo: PHGCOM · CC BY-SA 3.0 Photo: Yamaguchi Yoshiaki · CC BY-SA 2.0 Photo: Alpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.
A mountainous peninsula south of Mount Fuji, ringed with hot spring towns, lava cliffs and small beaches. The east coast is easy by train; the quieter west coast is better by car.
Makan
Things to do
- Jogasaki CoastBlack lava cliffs near Ito, with a clifftop path and a suspension bridge over the waves.Map ↗
- ShuzenjiA riverside hot spring town in the hills, with a bamboo path and an old temple.Map ↗
- ShimodaThe port where Commodore Perry's Black Ships landed in 1854, now the base for white-sand beaches.Map ↗
- DogashimaSea caves and rocky islets on the west coast, best seen on a short boat trip.Map ↗
- KawazuA river town lined with early-flowering cherry trees that bloom pink in February.Map ↗
Good to know
- Pick one coast as your base. Crossing the mountains takes longer than the map suggests.
- Atami, at the top of the peninsula, is only about 45 minutes from Tokyo by shinkansen if you want a short hot spring stop.
Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.