Izu Onsen Retreat: Shuzenji, Wasabi Valley & Mishima — 2 Days

The foremost shrine of Izu, set in a wooded precinct in the centre of Mishima, its deity long revered by warriors — the exiled Minamoto no Yoritomo prayed here before launching the campaign that founded the Kamakura shogunate. The main hall is a substantial nineteenth-century structure with fine carving, and the grounds, with their pond and a celebrated weeping cherry, make a calm and dignified entrance to a peninsula trip. A treasure hall displays shrine artefacts.

Grounds open daily, roughly 07:00-17:30, free; the Treasure Hall is ~¥500 (approx., 2026). A 10-15 minute walk from JR/Izuhakone Mishima-Taisha-mae. The weeping cherry peaks in early April. Allow about an hour.

Japan's longest pedestrian suspension bridge, a 400-metre span strung high across a valley with Mount Fuji and Suruga Bay framed at the far end on a clear day. Beyond the crossing itself there are zip-lines and a forest aerial course, flower gardens that run to hydrangeas in early summer, and cafés and shops at the near end. It is an easy, photogenic stop on the way into the peninsula, and the Fuji view — weather permitting — is the headline.

Open ~09:00-17:00, weather permitting; 2026 admission about ¥1,100 adult (approx.). Just north of central Mishima toward Hakone, ~20 minutes by car or bus. Hydrangeas bloom early June to July. The Fuji view depends on the weather.

Numazu has one of the busiest fishing ports on the Pacific coast, and this market canteen sits right above the auction floor in the harbour's INO building, serving the day's catch in generous donburi and set meals — aji (horse mackerel, the local pride), tuna from the deep Suruga Bay, sashimi platters and grilled fish. It is fresh, fast and reasonably priced, and a far better lunch than anything inland. A short detour west of Mishima before the drive south.

Open for lunch, around 07:00-14:00 (last orders early afternoon); a seafood donburi or set runs roughly ¥1,500-2,800 (approx., 2026). At Numazu Port (Senbon-minato), ~15-20 minutes west of Mishima. Expect a queue at peak times; go early.

The temple that gives Shuzenji its name, founded by legend in 807 by Kobo Daishi, the monk who is also credited with revealing the town's first hot spring. The present halls sit above the Katsura river at the heart of the onsen town, with a temple-water basin fed by hot spring rather than cold, a small treasure hall of Buddhist art, and a dark history — the second Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoriie was murdered here in 1204. A short, atmospheric stop that anchors the whole town.

Grounds open daily, roughly 08:30-16:30, free to enter; the Treasure Hall is ~¥300 (approx., 2026). In the centre of Shuzenji onsen town, a short walk from the bus terminal. Allow 30-45 minutes. The hot-spring hand-washing basin out front is a nice touch.

A seventeen-room ryokan in the heart of Shuzenji, run by the same family for centuries and a member of Relais & Châteaux, famous for the roofed Noh stage that stands across its central pond from the guest wings — performances are held there on occasion. Rooms look onto the water and the wooded hill behind, the hot-spring baths are fed by Shuzenji's own source, and dinner is a refined multi-course kaiseki. It is one of the most quietly celebrated ryokan in Japan and the reason many people come to Shuzenji at all.

Rates are at the high end and vary by room and season (2026) — book well ahead and confirm directly. In central Shuzenji; many guests arrive via the Shuzenji Station bus or a private transfer. Ask whether a Noh or other performance coincides with your stay.

The symbol of Shuzenji: a small bath pavilion standing on a rock in the middle of the Katsura river, marking the spot where, by legend, Kobo Daishi struck the rock with his tokko vajra and a hot spring gushed out to heal a sick boy. It was for centuries an open-air bath, but is now a landmark and footbath only — no longer a place to soak — best seen in the early morning when the town is quiet and the red Katsura bridge frames it. A two-minute, free stop at the heart of the onsen town.

Open-air, free, viewable at all hours; footbath/landmark only — bathing is no longer permitted. In the middle of the river beside the Katsura bridge in central Shuzenji. Best in the early morning light before the day-trippers arrive.

A short, beautifully kept walking path that runs along the Katsura river between the town's red bridges, roofed by a tall stand of bamboo with a large round bamboo bench at its centre where you can lie back and look up at the canopy. Lit softly at night, it is one of the prettiest corners of any onsen town in Japan and an unhurried way to spend a morning half-hour after the bath — short enough to do twice, in both directions.

Open at all hours, free. Along the Katsura river in central Shuzenji, linking the Katsura and Kaede bridges. A 5-10 minute stroll each way; the central round bench is the photo spot. Lovely when lit in the evening.

A 25-metre waterfall tumbling over a basalt cliff in the green heart of Izu, surrounded by terraced beds where wasabi is grown in the cold, clear spring water the plant demands — Izu is one of Japan's great wasabi regions. The point of stopping, beyond the falls themselves, is the local dish: a bowl of warm rice with bonito flakes and a knob of fresh wasabi root that you grate yourself at the table, the heat clean and fleafy rather than fierce. A descent of stone steps reaches the falls; the shops and restaurant sit at the top.

Falls open at all hours, free; the wasabi-don at the on-site restaurant runs roughly ¥1,000-1,400 (approx., 2026), shop hours daytime. On Route 414 in Izu City (Yugashima), ~25 minutes by car south of Shuzenji. A flight of stone steps leads down to the falls — wear sensible shoes.