South of Tokyo, the Izu Peninsula was formed by the shifting of submarine volcanoes that were formally on the south side of the Japanese islands.

The peninsula is blessed with some of the best coastlines to visit—with beaches, scenic mountains, quaint seaside towns and hidden onsen towns. While the typical Tokyo-Hakone excursions are more popular among tourists, we much prefer the privacy of our Path to Izu Peninsula.

Our journey begins at the coastal town of Atami, just an hour by train from Tokyo, where we visit Atami Castle and MOA to admire the impressive collection of Japanese art. The journey continues further along the coastline, where the mountains meet the sea, on one of the best coastal drives in Japan to the seaside town of Shimoda before heading inland as we meander through the mountains of Izu all the way to charming onsen town of Shuzenji, home to some of the oldest ryokans in Japan.

Before the journey concludes at Tokyo, we continue towards Lake Kawaguchiko for a glamping experince at Hoshinoya Fuji that includes some of the best views of Mount Fuji.