January 2007: 伊豆半島 (Izu peninsula, Japan)

伊豆半島 is pronounced Izu-hanto. Izu peninsula is quite close from 東京 (Tokyo), and this was my first trip in the area. 明日香 (Asuka) and I directly went south to 下田 (Shimoda), where we visited several temples and strolled along Perry Road. After admiring the view from the top of 寝姿山 (Mount Nesugata), we took the train to 蓮台寺 (Rendaiji) and spent the night at 金谷旅館 (Kanaya hotel). This hotel was expensive but huge, with a gorgeous hot spring. The next day, we enjoyed the landscapes of the peninsula by bus. We stopped at 堂ヶ島 (Dogashima) to bath in the tiny 澤田公園露天風呂 (Sawada-koen open-air hot spring), and see the coast by boat. We then continued to 修善寺 (Shuzenji), where one can see the famous main temple, as well as 独鈷の湯 (Tokko-no-yu), a mineral hot spring situated on a rocky promontory in the middle of 桂川 (river Katsura).

If you want more information about the area, please check the guide page for 伊豆半島 (Izu peninsula).