Heavy rain, cooler temperatures and no electricity for 24 hours meant our latest trip to Izu didn’t get off to a good start at all but thankfully things did get much better and it actually ended up being quite an interesting holiday featuring some new places.

As soon as the electricity was back on mid-afternoon we went out to regular haunt Mount Komuro to enjoy the clear blue skies and sunshine. It was my wife’s birthday on day two of our trip and, following a stressful morning of dealing with electricians, she opted to ascend the mountain by chairlift rather than on foot as is normal. Still, it made a nice change and the views from the chairlift are quite wonderful at times.

The birthday celebrations didn’t end there as early evening we went out for dinner at the family restaurant chain Gusto! Options really are quite limited when we’re in this part of Shizuoka Prefecture!

The following day I went to Numazu alone but, as I had a bit of time to kill, I extended my time in Atami to more than just a quick transit. I can’t say I was aware of either of the next two places beforehand.

Oh Yu Hot Spring has been a world-famous geyser since ancient times when it gushed out hot water and steam multiple times each day but gradually decreased in action over the years. In 1962, an effort was made to artificially start the geyser’s action, and it’s  presently maintained as a cultural monument of the city.

Atami Sun Beach was next and more impressive than I remember with it’s palm trees, white sand and clear blue sky!

There has been a lot said about over-tourism in Japan recently, and that seemed quite apparent in Atami once I got closer to the station and had to cut through the shopping street known as Heiwadori Shotengai. The photo below may not show it too well but this canopy roof-covered shopping arcade was absolutely packed!

Numazu is just a short train ride west of Atami, and there was something of a shock nearby the station when I passed KFC!

Star Wars Day has very much become part of the festivities during Japan’s Golden Week holiday in early May. There were a few events taking place around the country including  one in Yokohama, and Uniqlo got in on the act by releasing six new Star Wars t-shirts on May-the-4th-be-with-you-Eve (or May 3rd if you prefer!) which I went to check out in Numazu. As something of a t-shirt collector, I always appreciate the material quality of the Uniqlo ones and so couldn’t resist buying one of them. As it was, my wife went to a different Uniqlo that day and bought me one too. Thankfully they were different designs!

J3 football at Ashitaka Park was my main reason for going to Numazu. There are four J-league teams in Shizuoka Prefecture and wanting to experience some football in the Golden Week holiday I opted for Azul Claro Numazu (the lowest ranked of the four) as they are the closest one to watch when based in Izu.

There were a few good chances for both sides in a mildly entertaining game. Each team hit the frame of the goal before a late goal won it for the away side.

Anyone who recently watched the critically acclaimed TV series ‘Shogun‘ will have probably heard Ajiro mentioned throughout the ten episode season. This humble fishing village was the location for the historical-fiction story (it was filmed in Canada!) and so I thought it might be interesting to see what the real-life Ajiro was like. We took the dog for a walk around this place very early the next morning and it was a pleasant enough area. More details here.

That particular day was May the 4th, and with people expecting me to bang on about Star Wars Day I threw a curveball with the following post!

Whenever we go to Lake Ippeki we always do a clockwise circuit but this time we completely ripped up the rule book by going in the opposite direction! Crazy I know but that is how we roll from time to time!!

It was quite interesting to see it from a different point of view and did help to keep it fresh after dozens of visits to the place.

Other than that first terrible day, the weather was pretty glorious for the whole of our stay We really took our time on this occasion and enjoyed chilling out in the comfortable spring climate on the shores of the lake.

Mount Fuji views are par for the course when in Izu but they are often obstructed by overhead wires. Last time we were in Izu in January, we discovered a fantastic view of the majestic and iconic mountain and so we decided to return there again after Ippeki-ko.

I wasn’t done for the day and so I headed out on my own later that afternoon for some  adventure. I ended up exploring some interesting parts just up the coast from Kawana Beach where I’d never really been. More details here.

Other than the blackout situation at the start, this trip basically began at Komoroyama Park and so we bookended our six-night holiday there but on this occasion we walked to the top. Well not quite the top as I felt no need to go there again but a short distance down from there is Dinosaur Space.

For once we took a mat to sit on and relax with some snacks amidst the bizarre mix of pleasant sea views and ancient mammal structures!

Click here to read ‘Izu Coastal Adventures: A Uniquely Coloured Torii Gate, Northern Izu’s Finest Beach & The Real Life ‘Shogun’ Setting’

Click here to read ‘Surviving Without Electricity For 24 Hours In The Modern Day Is More Difficult Than You Might Think!’

Click here to read ‘Is It Worth Visiting The Japanese Fishing Village Which Was The Setting For The TV Series Shogun?’

Click here to read ‘Visiting All Of The Beaches On The North-Eastern Coast Of Izu’