Hatsushima Island

Yesterday we took a quick day trip to Hatsushima Island. The island is a short 30 minute ferry journey from Atami City in Shizuoka, Japan.

The weather was fine and warm and the ferry was busy but not overcrowded. It costs 2,600 yen for a return ticket, expensive, but not exorbitant, especially when you compare it to the ferries going to the other Izu islands nearby. The island is small, only about 1km long by 1km wide and most people going there go to the resort area hotel in the center of the island and the seafood restaurants, near the port.

When we arrived, we decided first to get a beer in the local supermarket at the port and walk around the island drinking. The drinks and other off island produce are a little more expensive than on the mainland, which is fair enough.

We checked out the shrines, just a few minutes walk along the coast road running west.

These shrines are not so impressive, but pleasant, and they have English explanations and also you can buy a shrine stamp in the port office, if you collect them like we do.

Walking along the island we saw nice, but hazy views back to Mt. Fuji poking over the mountains surrounding Atami City.

Then we came to the huge and imposing island hotel, which looks like it was built in the bubble economy of Japan in the 1980s, a little old, but impressive, none the less, and with a nice garden.

We walked through the grounds, past a "culture cottage" where people were making clay pots and plates. A tree forest play area for kids, where they can climb and abseil and climb around a mini forest, for a fee, and we arrived at the lighthouse.

After paying 300 yen, you can see a small museum about the lighthouse and watch a video about post war Atami and Hatsushima, its not much. The lighthouse was interesting though, with views across the island.

After the lighthouse (which I forgot to take a picture of) we walked through the sole small village on the island. It seemed a lovely place, but must be bleak in the winter. Walking down, back to the harbour, we bought another beer and walked along the coast in an easterly direction.

After eating the freshest sashimi I had ever eaten (so fresh that the tail of the poor fish was still moving on the plate), we walked, beer in hand along the pretty path round to the hot spring, which I thought would be crowded, but in fact was completely empty and we had a dip in the hot water while looking out to the ocean. It was really nice and the price wasn't too bad either, at 900 yen.

The hot spring also have a selection of craft beers, so walking back along the rocks by the sea, looking into rockpools and holding bottles of beer, we made our way to the port and took the 3.20 ferry back to Atami where we had dinner in the station building and used one of the many massage chairs there to savour one more beer and the welcome massage.

If you are staying in Tokyo, Atami is easily accessible from Tokyo station by bullet train. After an hour long train ride, take a number 7 bus from Atami station bus terminal to the port and get in the queue for a ticket for the ferry (you cant pre-book tickets).

I certainly would recommend it as a day trip, combined with Atami city, which has some interesting places to see also.

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