My Izu Mid-Coast Hike with the Tokai Bus 3-Day Pass! 🚶‍♀️♨️

#summervacay Today, I decided to dive into the central Izu region. Beyond the famous Shuzenji Onsen, there's also Yugashima Onsen, among others. I was actually retracing a bit of history, as this area was part of Kawabata Yasunari's Izu Dancer journey! He apparently started his hike from Oito Station (before the Hakone Railway Sunzu Line extended to Shuzenji), heading south through Shuzenji Onsen, then soaking at Yumoto-kan in Yugashima Onsen, and eventually encountering the Izu Dancer near the Amagi Tunnel before reaching Shimoda. It's clear this region has a long history of fantastic hiking routes! Yugashima Onsen: A Morning Stroll I started my day by taking the bus to Yugashima Onsen. After getting off, I saw signs for a public hot spring bath a few hundred meters ahead. I walked over to check it out. It was a hot spring bathhouse with both indoor and outdoor pools, featuring directly sourced spring water. The admission was 820 JPY, but it didn't open until 10 AM. So, I decided to leisurely walk back along the stream and the road. I noticed quite a few ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) in the area, but unlike Shuzenji Onsen, there wasn't a concentrated commercial street. The inns were more spread out. It felt like if you were to stay here, the main idea would be to choose a suitable ryokan for a "one-night, two-meal" experience and then simply soak in the surrounding natural beauty. #izu #yugashimaonsen #tokaibuspass #japantravel #onsen #hiking #shuzenjionsen #kawabatayasunari #izudancer