Joren Waterfall, Japan.

Izu Peninsula

We love Izu

Izu Peninsula 伊豆半島. Located south-west of Tokyo – looks like a spearhead projecting from the foot of Mt. Fuji into the Pacific Ocean. Part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Noted for its beautiful coastal scenery and hotspring resorts. And it always helps when a friend owns a house in Shimoda. House-guests anyone? Joren Falls is a beautiful little waterfall. Quiet and scenic. The staircase down is quite long and steep so might be a little difficult for older visitors. BUT you can buy fresh wasabi and wild boar or deer meat nikuman from the shop nearby!

Best IZU Memories:

Big cliffs, swinging bridges, Atami, the Sex Museum (really. We do have a dizzying array of photos – but the ones of us riding the giant coin-operated phallus are not for public viewing), riding a chairlift up a volcano, lots of wasabi flavoured things – Izu being one of Japan’s biggest producers of wasabi (don’t care for wasabi icecream), the waterfall hiking trails, getting lost in the bamboo, the insane amount of hotels in Atami, fantastic views of Mt Fuji, sunburn, rainy season, nights of scrabble and Moet.