If you’re looking for a short weekend getaway away from bustling Tokyo, look no further than the resort area Izu Peninsula (伊豆半島 Izu Hantō).
Located near by Tokyo, Izu is part of the eastern area of Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県). While Eastern Shizuoka has long been famous for Japan’s tallest mountain Mount Fuji (富士山), let’s take a foodie’s trip to Izu Peninsula!
Where is Izu?
A mountainous peninsula, Izu rests cozily between Sagami Bay (相模湾) and Suruga Bay (駿河湾). Its mild and temperate climate makes it an ideal weekend getaway all-year round, where seafood such as horse mackerel, sea bream, and anago (saltwater eel) are easily available, and harvests like horseradish (wasabi) and citrus fruits are abundant.
To get around Izu Peninsula, one can split their itinerary into three general areas of west, east, and south Izu.
West: Shio-Katsuo
For our first stop, we’ll be heading to the western coastlines of Izu Peninsula.
While sunset chasers would flock to sightseeing spots like Horse Rock (馬ロック Uma-rokku) to catch one of Japan’s most stunning sunset views, Kumomi Shore (雲見海岸) is popular amongst divers due to its clear waters.
One thing that cannot be missed at Kumomi Shore is the scenic view of Mount Fuji across the Bay with the Ushitsuki Rocks (牛着岩) in its foreground.
As a coastal hot spring area, there is plenty of fresh seafood and ryokan inns that can be found along Izu’s west coast. Many locals engage with fishery together with manning hot spring facilities and family-run inn businesses (民宿 minshuku) in the cities. Some seafood you can enjoy here include spiny lobsters, squids, and shio-katsuo (潮かつお).
Shio-katsuo is a type of dried bonito that is made by soaking the whole bonito in salt and then drying it for weeks. The origins of shio-katsuo can be traced back to 8th-century Nara and has since spread across Japan. However, Tago (田子) of Nishiizu is the only place left in Japan that still practises the traditional method of preparing shio-katsuo that has been handed down since the Edo Period.
Shio-katsuo is also called “New Year’s fish” (正月魚 Shōgatsuyo) as it is said to be an auspicious food signifying good harvest, safe voyage, and prosperity of descendants.
One of the locals’ favourite ways to enjoy shio-katsuo is on top of a warm bowl of udon together with onsen tamago (温泉玉子 onsen egg) and dashi soy sauce, called Shio-katsuo Udon (しおつおうどん).
Did you know you could try this flavour as an otsumami or snack: Shio-katsuo Udon Snack (しおかつおうどんスナック)?
With fragrant bonito flavour and crunchy texture, this delicious snack is the next-best alternative to the local taste of Nishiizu. This snack is also the perfect souvenir of Izu Peninsula’s west coast, as the design of the package is based on the sunset one can enjoy in Nishiizu, which was once dubbed as “the best sunset in Japan” in 2005.
East: Atami Lemons
Next up, we’ll head east to the popular resort town Atami (熱海). Atami is one of the most frequented hot spring towns for city dwellers in the Kanto Region, largely due to its close proximity to Tokyo and plenty of ryokan inns that offer scenic views of the Peninsula and Sagami Bay.
One of the must-visit sightseeing spots if you’re near Atami is Mount Omuro (大室山 Omuroyama), which looks like a bowl turned upside down! Take a lift up to the summit where you can enjoy an exhilarating stroll around the dormant volcano with panoramic views of Mount Fuji, Izu Seven Islands, and Sagami Bay.
Another attraction in Atami is the former ryokan Kiunkaku (起雲閣). This historic Western-style building features decorations and styles from Europe, Middle East, and China, including a lush Japanese garden as if signifying the beautiful harmony of East-meets-West in resort town Atami.
While everyone knows Atami for its seafood, did you know that the city is also famous for their lemons? Not many may know this, but Atami is said to be the place where lemons were first introduced in Japan. Many years ago, foreigners visiting the hot springs of Atami had sown lemon seeds in the garden, and till this day they are cultivated with great care amongst locals.
Many shops in the city serve Atami Lemon-flavoured confectioneries like soft-serve, gummies, and cakes. As a souvenir, you can consider snacks like the Izu Citrus Peel: Izu Lemon (伊豆柑橘ぴーる 伊豆レモン). This healthy sweet was made such that you can easily enjoy the taste of Izu Lemons, in a fun-sized pack carrying lemon peels which has a sweet and bittersweet aftertaste with no preservatives added.
South: New Summer Orange
The final stop of our gastronomic journey is Izu Peninsula’s south, where cities like Kawazu (河津), Minamiizu (南伊豆), and Shimoda (下田) lay. Apart from being a popular hot spring destination, Kawazu is also said to be one of the best and earliest spots to view cherry blossoms in Eastern Japan, with the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival taking place in mid-February to mid-March annually along Kawazu River (河津川).
Also, unlike the light-pink blooms in the usual cherry trees seen across Japan, the sakura here are a unique species known as Kawazu-zakura (河津桜), which gives off a more vibrant pink than its counterparts. The contrast with the yellow rape blossoms in the background brings out the pink even further!
Increasingly popular as a tourist attraction is the Ryugu Sea Cave (龍宮窟) in Shimoda, which is the result of the crashing of waves brought from the Pacific Ocean eroding the cave’s walls. Visitors can both enter the cave as well as peak from above. Looking up from below, the cave looks like a mysterious space with a hole in the ceiling, while looking down from above, it looks like a shape of a heart.
Its interesting curvature makes it a powerspot for lovers—a visit here is said to bring good luck and make your love-related wishes come true!
Similar to Atami, the area surrounding Kawazu Onsen is ideal for the production of citrus, including a new hybrid variety of citrus called New Summer Orange (ニューサマーオレンジ) or Hyuganatsu (ヒュウガナツ). The New Summer Orange looks like an orange but it has a strong sweet-and-sour aroma and flavour that reminds one of a grapefruit, yuzu, or lemon. It got its name because its harvest period falls between in mid April to mid June.
Characterised by high sugar content and low sugarness, taste this unique citrus flavour with the Izu Citrus Peel: New Summer Orange (伊豆柑橘ぴーる ニューサマーオレン). No preservatives, colourings, or fragrances are used in this healthy snack.
Getting to Izu on the SAPHIR ODORIKO
As one of the leading tourist destinations in Japan, Izu is easily accessible from Tokyo. Indulge yourself in a scenic ride onboard the sightseeing Limited Express SAPHIR ODORIKO (サフィール踊り子) where you can admire the changing landscapes of Izu Peninsula in the comforts of your window seats on this elegant train.
You can read up more about this luxury train here and here.
Before we end…
Have we enticed you enough about Izu Peninsula? With its close proximity from Tokyo, we hope that you’ll consider taking a few days off of your city itinerary to explore this gem in Eastern Shizuoka. In the meantime, JAPAN RAIL CAFE is bringing Izu Peninsula closer to you in Singapore!
All these products mentioned above will be available at the cafe’s Retail Corner from January 2021 while stocks last. These Izu snacks make for the most thoughtful and yummy gifts for your friends who are missing Japan as much as we do!
This February 2024, another exciting collaboration “izu” happening! A membership and snack subscription service by JR East, JAPAN RAIL CLUB is launching a Valentine & Izu-themed snack box in collaboration with JR East Yokohama Branch Office! The “With Love, Izu” Omiyage Snack Box is filled with delicious regional snacks such as the Shio Katsuo Udon Snack as well as other additions like the SAPHIR ODORIKO Sand Cookies.
Get started on your subscription journey with JAPAN RAIL CLUB and enjoy savings of up to SGD55 (USD42) with these two promo codes—applicable when you subscribe to a quarterly (3-month) or bi-annually (6-month) plan with us — “IZUOFF3″ or “IZUOFF6”. The discount code is valid till 29 February 2024. We hope that this box of delicious souvenirs will entice you to make a trip to Izu even further!
This article is written in collaboration with JR EAST Yokohama Branch Office in January 2021.
Header image credit: K Design Office
