A genuine remote island that can be reached in just a day from Tokyo
There are many remote islands with nature within Tokyo, such as the Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands, but among them, Izu Oshima is close (so you can stay for a long time), has good cost performance, and is easy to go to!
You can suddenly feel like you're traveling on a weekend off!
[How to get there]
Ferry boats depart from Takeshiba Passenger Terminal, which is less than a 10-minute walk from Hamamatsucho, every day to Izu Oshima, but we recommend the large passenger ship "Sarubia Maru" operated by Tokai Kisen, which leaves Tokyo at night and arrives early in the morning.
It departs every night around 10pm, so you can make it even after work.
The fare varies depending on the season, but it is around 6,000 to 8,000 yen, and there are discounts for internet and early reservations, so please make good use of them.
The seats range from dormitory seats to private rooms, but if you want to go cheaply, you will have to choose dormitory seats or reclining chair seats, but we do not recommend chair seats.
The seats are of high quality, but they are still chairs.
As with a long flight, you will not know if you have recovered from your fatigue.
・We recommend the dormitory seats💤
The dormitory seats are also divided into small sections, so unless it's a busy season, you will probably be the only ones in this section, so don't worry, you won't be sitting next to anyone else!
When you board the boat, everyone goes to their reserved seats first, but basically all seats are reserved, so don't go to your seat when you board the boat, just go to the deck!
Secure a table or a place with a good view of the scenery, and watch the boat go under the Rainbow Bridge at night with a drink or snack in hand, which will make you feel better than a bad restaurant🤯
Once you go over the Rainbow Bridge, the night view becomes less interesting, so go to your reserved seat from there.
In addition to cup ramen vending machines on the boat, there is also a dining hall that is open for a limited time and serves ramen, rice bowls, beer, edamame, and more, so it's exciting to eat dinner on the boat.
🏝️And when you wake up, you'll be in Izu Oshima🏝️
[Transportation on the island]
There are buses, rental cars, and rental mopeds, but I personally recommend rental cars or mopeds.
The number of buses is low, so you'll waste a lot of time during your short stay.
There are also many slopes, so renting a bicycle is difficult.
[Highlights]
The best thing is trekking around Mt. Mihara
Go there by rental car, rental bike, or bus.
・For trekking on Mt. Mihara
Take the Oshima Bus Miharayama Line or Rainbow Line to the "Mt. Mihara Trailhead", or rent a car!
It's at the end of a long slope, so don't go by bicycle
The road is easy to understand, and if you take the course to see the impressive volcanic mouth of Mt. Mihara and return to the trailhead, you can return in about 3 hours at a leisurely pace.
As for minimum equipment, sneakers that you don't mind getting dirty, water, and rain gear are essential. (Think of it as a light hike)
・For trekking in the back desert
If you want to enjoy the magnificent desert in the easiest way, I recommend the "Back Desert Course"👍
It's along the road around the island, but the entrance is hard to find, so check the map on your smartphone!
There is only space to park about three cars, so if you're going on a weekend, I recommend going early or renting a moped.
When you walk through the gravel? Fine pumice? for about 30 minutes, the back desert suddenly appears, and you'll be impressed by its grandeur😃
[Food]
・Bekko sushi
Izu Oshima is famous for its spicy bekko sushi, made by marinating white fish in chili soy sauce. There are many shops on the island, and even supermarkets sell it, but the seasoning and freshness of the ingredients vary.
After eating bekko sushi all over the island, I recommend "Sushi Hikari" near Honmachi Port! Not only is the tortoiseshell sushi delicious, but if you order nigiri with various toppings, you'll be very satisfied, as there are some rare toppings that you can't easily find in Tokyo.
・Island Ice Cream Shop Toriton
This shop is also located near Honmachi Port, so it's recommended to go there after eating sushi at Sushi Mitsu.
In addition to the standard flavors, they have flavors of gelato and ice cream that are beyond your imagination, such as rock seaweed, asa-ba, and lava.
[Recommended Accommodations]
There are some accommodations on the island that are beautiful and expensive, and you can rent the whole house, but these places don't serve dinner, and many of them have things like BBQ that you can do outside of Izu Oshima, so I don't recommend them if you've come all the way to Izu Oshima.
I recommend guesthouses and hotels. They're all about the same quality, so it's hard to choose, but be sure to find an accommodation that serves "camellia fondue" for dinner!
You coat the skewers in batter and fry them yourself, and the aroma of camellia oil and the oil that's not too heavy makes it delicious!
Be sure to try camellia fondue, which you don't often get a chance to try!
[Other things to do]
- At "Buratto House" near the airport, you can drink sweet and delicious Oshima milk fresh from the factory right in front of you while watching the cows, and eat milk gelato.
- You can go diving or get a diving license.
- If you like fishing, you can try to catch a big one at the harbor, and during squid season many islanders gather together to fish.
Natural beauty within easy reach
Please visit Izu Oshima!