Last Updated: Oct 1, 2023

Welcome to Ito

A Hot Spring Town on the Izu Peninsula

In the years since I started writing about Japan, I’ve been down to the Izu Peninsula a shockingly high number of times. Somehow though, I never managed to make it to Ito. Located a mere stone’s throw past the timeworn town of Atami, I somehow just skipped this amazing part of the prefecture despite it having been on my ever-growing bucket list for a while. Knowing that I needed to somehow rectify this mishap, I recently got my act together and finally crossed off this historic hot spring. Especially if you’re a nature lover, you’ll really appreciate a visit to Ito when next in Japan.

As anyone who has been to the Izu Peninsula can attest, there are a lot of options for onsen down here. Why one would choose Ito over alternatives like Shuzenji Onsen has a lot to do with its abundant nature. Though the Izu Peninsula is indeed blessed with scenic vistas, Ito really takes it to another level. From the craggy coastline of the Jogasaki Coast to the picture-perfect slopes of Mt. Omuro, the natural environs of Ito and its surrounding areas are truly the reason that one would want to select it over somewhere else.

While Ito doesn’t really lay claim to an attraction like Yamagata’s Yamadera that would cause one to want to travel all the way…