About a two-hour train ride from Tokyo is Ito, a gorgeous coastal town located in Shizuoka Prefecture. Popular for overnights from Tokyo, this nostalgic area is filled with onsen, and is often seen as the starting point of any trip through east Izu.
This time, we took a stroll through the shopping district in front of Ito Station all the way to Roadside Station Ito Marine Town. From Izu onsen to famous sightseeing spots, as well as tasty bites, let us take you through Ito’s various charms.
Ito, Shizuoka: One of Japan’s most prominent hot springs areas
Kaito, a hot springs town that is said to have been around since the Heian Period
First is a 2-hour long ride from Tokyo Station to Atami Station via the Tokaido Line, after which a line transfer towards the JR Ito Line’s Izukyu-Shimoda Station for an additional 25 minutes, and you’ll arrive at Ito Station.
Ito’s onsens have the biggest outputs of hot springs within the prefecture, not to mention one of the best under countrywide standards. With 713 hot spring spouts, the city has had 9 public baths since way back in the day. The main spring types are pure springs and salt springs. The transparent and odorless spring water is said to alleviate chronic rheumatism, neuralgia, women’s diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, and lethargy.
1. Ito Onsen Yunohana-dori Shopping Street
This time, starting from Ito Station, we took a stroll around the above mentioned "Tokaikan" and “Roadside Station Ito Marine Town."
With a police box on our right and the station at our backs, beyond the police box is a road sign leading to this trip's first destination, Tokaikan.
When we turned in the direction of the arrow …
The shopping district, “Ito Onsen Yunohana-Dori,” came into our view. Flanked on both sides of the narrow street by rows of shops, who wouldn’t be hyped?
God of voyages and fishing hauls, Ebisu
While walking around many shops as we looked gingerly around, we spotted a statue of one of the Seven Lucky Gods. In this shopping street, a stamp rally of the hot springs of the Seven Lucky Gods is being held.
At each station, a stamping stand and a stamp are set next to the statue of the Seven Lucky Gods, and you go around the different statues collecting the stamps. Once you collect all seven, present it to a store and get your free sticker.
After facing the road right in front of Ebisu's statue, we were greeted by an illustration of Ebisu himself, bearing a bold smile despite his super-deformed shape. We spent about 20 minutes walking and window shopping while looking for the Seven Lucky Gods. Before we realized it, we had reached the Tokaikan!
2. Tokaikan: An onsen ryokan built in the 1920s
Gaze at the building’s majesty from along the Matsugawa River
Once boasting fame as an onsen ryokan, the “Tokaikan” opened its d…
