A few years ago I wrote about the abandoned ruins of a lakeside hotel close to the shores of Lake Ippeki-ko in Ito but little did I know that there were more nearby! Another hotel too.

Usually such derelict buildings, known as haikyo in Japanese, are fenced off in some way with one needing to climb over, under or through it to enter the place. This one though sits just metres away from the pavement outside and can be accessed easily by anyone passing by which is probably not many people at all given the countryside location of it. Sadly I have no information on the name of this former lakeside hotel which can be found very close to the Ippekiko bus stop.

I wouldn`t be surprised if there are more abandoned ruins in this area which is something I may check out on a future trip on foot. The vast majority of people going to or from Ippeki-ko are in their vehicles and whizz past all the abandoned buildings which are just off the walking trails. The vending machine outside the lakeside hotel has certainly seen better days!

That was all found by pure chance whilst waiting at the nearby bus stop which would take us home. Before all that, our morning had begun at the beautifully shaped extinct volcano known as Mount Omuro.

Before leaving there we popped into the ubiquitous souvenir shop on site and I bought us a couple of bottles of Shizuoka cola as it was a more reasonable price than usual. It`s nothing too amazing (not better than Coke or Pepsi) but I often buy it when in the prefecture just because I can!

It`s more preferable for me than an Anpanman (Japanese children`s superhero) carton! Still, quite a unique drinks vending machine!

The bus from Omuroyama took just under 15 minutes to get to Lake Ippeki-ko where we disembarked for a really nice sunny walk circling the lake which is four kilometres in circumference.

Mount Komuro is the other major sight we went to on this trip back at the end of June. We have been back to Ito a couple of times since then including when I went to see two days of Tokyo 2020 Olympic track cycling at Izu Velodrome.

At the top of the 321 metre tall mountain is Cafe 321 which we went to for the first time in early May following its opening not so long before that. The panoramic views of the sea and mountains from it`s terrace are a lovely new addition to the mountaintop.

The beautiful shaped Mount Omuro was visible from the top which as I found out in early August (after this trip!) is not always the case!

We descended to the Dinosaur Space play area which has featured on Tokyo Fox a fair bit in the last couple of years. It`s perhaps fitting that the mountain where we began the day could be seen in the distance of the dinosaurs as we started to head down ready to go home.

Click here to read `Return To Japan`s Greenest & Cleanest Extinct Volcano In Izu`

Click here to read `At One With Nature In Izu: The Jogaskai Coast, Mount Komuro, Mount Omuro & Ippeki Lake`

Click here to read `Japan’s Cheapest “Beer” Cans, Family Cup Noodle Time, McShakes, Star Wars Day, Dogs & Dinosaurs!`

Click here to read `Lake Ippeki-ko & The Abandoned Ruins Of It’s Lakeside Hotel`