The Izu Peninsula
The Izu Peninsula is a large mountainous region located in the east of Shizuoka prefecture, west of Tokyo. It is famous for its picturesque beaches, hot springs, stunning sunsets and fabulous views of Mt. Fuji.
Being situated so close to Tokyo, the peninsula is well connected by train and other forms of public transport. Izu can be accessed either by car, bullet train, local train or bus, depending on your budget and/or timescale.
Personally I recommend renting a car to drive around the peninsula as you can take in all of the stunning views at your own pace and local transport here can be quite sporadic. If this isn’t an option then please see the below or plan your route at https://www.hyperdia.com/ (English available).
Shinkansen (Bullet Train)
The JR Tokaido Shinkansen provides direct connections from Tokyo and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Please note that it is not covered by the JR Tokyo Wide Pass, JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido.
If you are not using the JR Rail Pass then:
- Tokyo to Atami one way = ~40-50 minutes at ￥4,270* (non-reserved seat).
- Tokyo to Mishima one way = ~45-60 minutes at ￥4,600* (non-reserved seat).
*as of December 2020
Limited Express Train
Limited express trains connect Tokyo to Shimoda via Atami and Ito. Most of these trains use Tokyo station, however some use Shinjuku station.
Note: Between Ito and Shimoda the tracks are run by a different company so you will have to pay around ￥2,000 extra for this part of the journey if you are using the JR Rail Pass.
There are also limited express trains from Tokyo to Shuzenji via Mishima.
Note: Between Mishima and Shuzenji the tracks are run by a different company so you will have to pay around ￥520 extra for this part of the journey if you are using the JR Rail Pass.
Local Train
It is also possible to access Izu using local trains, however this will take much longer for around half of the price.
- Tokyo to Atami one way = ~100 minutes at ￥1,980*.
- Tokyo to Mishima one way = ~120 minutes at ￥2,310*.
Note: You are able to use IC cards like Pasmo and Suica until Atami station. You are not able to use it for the Atami – Mishima leg of the journey so you would have to go through the barriers at Atami and get a new ticket.
You are able to use the Izuhakone Railway, JR Ito Line and the Izukyu Line within the peninsula, however you are not able to reach much of the area without having to transfer to a bus. Trains run from Mishima to Shuzenji and Ito to Shimoda. Please see the below bus map for more details.
Note: Pasmo, Suica and the JR Rail Pass is not able to be used on the Izuhakone Railway.
Bus
It is possible to get to Izu by bus, however this takes a lot of time and I recommend getting here either by car or train.
Tokai Bus operates a bus network within the peninsula and is centred around the major railway stations/tourist attractions. The fare is proportional to the distance travelled and is paid when exiting the bus. IC cards are not accepted on buses.
They also offer a variety of regional bus passes which include:
- Yuyu Sightseeing Loop Bus Pass (1-day pass for ￥700)
Serves most of the sightseeing spots in Atami and also offers a discount to some of the attractions. - Izu Kogen and Jogasaki Coast Pass (1-day pass for ￥800)
Covers the Izu Kogen and the Jogasaki Coast area. - Ito Kanko Free Pass (1-day pass for ￥1500)
Covers central Ito, Izu Kogen and the Jogasaki Coast area. - Minami Izu Free Pass (2-day pass for ￥2790)
Covers the south of the Izu Peninsula, including Shimoda up to Dogashima. - Amagiji Free Pass (2-day pass for ￥2400)
Covers Shuzenji to Kawazu.
