Izu Peninsula

Geographical location

The Izu Peninsula (Japanese伊豆 半岛, Izu Hanto ) is a peninsula southwest of Tokyo on the Japanese island of Honshu. It lies at the foot of Mount Fuji and is part of the Fuji -Hakone -Izu National Park. Previously here was the province of Izu, today the peninsula is part of Shizuoka prefecture.

The north end of the peninsula is within easy reach of Tokyo. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen stops in Atami ( east side ) and Mishima ( west side ). Even with the car to get from Tokyo via the Tomei Expressway and several highways to Hakone in the north and Numazu on the west side of the peninsula.

The peninsula is a popular recreation area for residents of the Tokyo region. Above all, it is known for its onsen ( hot springs ), including Atami, Ito and Mishima. She is also a popular destination for scuba divers. The main dive sites are Izu Kaiyo Kōen (伊豆 海洋 公园), Yawatano (八 幡 野) and Osezaki (大 瀬 崎). In the 1970s, the tourism slumped to the Izu peninsula, because remote flights were cheaper and the Japanese are studying abroad made ​​holiday.

Izu is one of the most important producers of wasabi in Japan; the local cuisine offers a variety of dishes with wasabi flavor.