Sample Itinerary 1

Located at the base of Mt. Fuji, Clematis no Oka is a cultural complex that combines a beautiful garden with seasonal flowers, museum, a restaurant, cafes and shops. Visitors can come into contact with works of art by visiting the Vangi Sculpture Garden Museum, which features the work of Italian sculptor Giuliano Vangi, and the Bernard Buffet Museum, which boasts the world’s largest collection of works by the French painter Bernard Buffet – around 2,000 pieces in total. The restaurant serves authentic Neapolitan pizza in a bright, open space, as well as dishes made with fresh vegetables from the Mishima and Hakone Seiroku area.

When people think of eel in Japan, the first place that comes to mind is Hamamatsu City, but Mishima is in fact also famous for its eel.　Unlike in Hamamatsu, eel is not actually raised in Mishima, but keeping the eel in the subterranean waters of Mt. Fuji for four to five days eliminates the fishy, muddy odors, making the eel very tasty. This is why Mishima eel are famous.

Seseragi or the murmuring of the river can be heard in every corner of Mishima City, and you can take a leisurely stroll around the tourist attractions. Among these, the Genbe River is a stream formed by the coming together of various springs. You could call it the symbol of Mishima. Stepping stones have been placed in the river along the Genbe River Waterside Promenade, and you can enjoy a “Seseargi Walk” while feeling the clear spring water. In the summer, it is a popular place to relax and enjoy playing in the water.

Izu Panorama Park is a very popular tourist spot where you can enjoy a spectacular view of Mount Fuji, Suruga Bay, and the mountains of Izu. With not only scenic views, but also nature walks, delicious gourmet food, private spaces and athletic fields, this facility is for everyone, young and old.

Shuzenji Onsen is one of the most famous hot springs in Izu, with many ryokan inns in genuine Japanese style lining both banks of the river. Legend has it that hot spring water gushed forth from the exact spot where Kukai (Kobo Daishi) struck his Dokko (a Buddhist weapon used to crush resentment, expel enemies and destroy evil). This hot spring water continues to come forth at the riverside in the center of the hot spring town even today, and it is both a symbol of Shuzenji Onsen and a representative landmark of the hot spring town Shuzenji. Many of the inns are authentic Japanese-style inns built in the Sukiya-zukuri style and have magnificent gardens. Combined with the historical sites wrapped in greenery, this hot spring resort exudes a tranquil atmosphere. Also beloved by the author Natsume Soseki, it is very popular among Japanese people.

The Jogasaki Coast has a complex topography created by lava flowing into Sagami Bay. The northern part of the island, near Cape Kadowaki, is a good place to see the structure of lava flows and the mechanism of land formation. From the suspension bridge, you can see the columnar joints that formed as the lava cooled, as well as the process by which the lava flowed while destroying the already cooled and hardened surface layer.

The Izu Kogen Brewery produces six kinds of craft beer, and the restaurant serves freshly brewed beer that one can only taste at the brewery, along with food made from local ingredients. The Donburi rice bowl dish Fisherman’s Tsukedon is a popular dish that will fill your stomach. It is made by marinating tuna, horse mackerel, squid and salmon in a special sauce, laying them over rice piled up in a massive mound, and sprinkling salmon roe on top. Other options include stewed Kinmedai, which is Izu’s representative fish, other dishes made with local fish, and a variety of meat dishes.