How to Spend 2 Magical Days in Izu Japan! 🗻🌸
Capybaras & Matcha Mountains? The ultimate non-driving guide to Japan Matcha Mountain Izu 🍵🐾
Hello everyone ~It’s Hattie here 💛 Today, I am so excited to share my carefully curated (and slightly chaotic, but we’ll get to that) 2-day East Izu itinerary!
If you are planning a trip to Japan and want to escape the neon overload of Tokyo for some coastal magic, stunning views, and serious cuteness, Izu is your place. We’re talking about a mountain that looks like a giant scoop of matcha pudding, a rugged volcanic coastline, an adorable animal park, and a Teddy Bear Museum that Studio Ghibli fans will absolutely obsess over. 🧸🎈
In this guide, I’m giving you the ultimate breakdown of our trip, including where we stayed (think dreamy private hot spring vibes), local food recs, and the ultimate travel hacks so you don’t make the same mistakes I did.
(Quick heads-up: This is our master itinerary overview! I’ll be dropping deep-dive reviews for each spot and restaurant soon, so make sure to bookmark this page! ✨🧁)
🚂 Day 1: Luxury Trains, Coastal Views, and Lessons Learned the Hard Way
11:00 AM | Departing from Shinagawa Station: The Dreamy Saphir Odoriko
Since we were staying in Tokyo beforehand, we decided to base ourselves near Shinagawa Station for easy transit. If you’re flying into Haneda or just staying in central Tokyo, Shinagawa is a total lifesaver for heading south—no dragging heavy suitcases through endless subway transfers! 🧳
We kicked off our trip by boarding the Saphir Odoriko (サフィール踊り子), and oh my gosh, this train is a literal dream. It’s a luxury express train designed specifically for the Tokyo-to-Izu route. The moment I saw pictures of its gorgeous skylight windows, I knew I had to book it for my little boy.
💡 Hattie’s Pro-Tip for Travelers:
This train sells out crazy fast. Booking opens exactly one month prior to your travel date at 10:00 AM JST on the JR-EAST Train Reservation website. Set your alarms across your time zones, seriously! ⏰
We were a tiny bit late to the party and missed out on the ultra-luxurious Premium Green Car 😭, but honestly? The standard car was still incredibly spacious, clean, and beautiful, complete with those stunning glass ceilings. Looking up at the blue skies while speeding toward the coast was pure magic 🌊💎
1:00 PM | Arriving at Ito Station: Checking into Laforet Club Ito Onsen
About an hour and a half later, we pulled into Ito Station. When planning an East Izu trip without a car, staying in Ito is a total pro-move. It’s a major hub station, meaning catching buses and local trains to all the main sights is a breeze. Plus, unlike the super sleepy beach towns, Ito actually has restaurants open past 8:00 PM (which is essential for a foodie who needs her late-night snacks! 😋🌸).
We checked into our hotel, Laforet Club Ito Onsen. They also have a massive public bathhouse inside. We opted for a traditional Japanese tatami-style room, which was so spacious and cozy. It’s perfect for a romantic couple’s getaway or a fun family trip with kids 💖🛁
1:30 PM | Shunshindo: Sweet, Instaworthy Refreshments
Before jumping on the bus, we grabbed a quick bite at Shunshindo, located right across from Ito Station. You literally cannot miss it—the storefront is so aesthetic and perfect for pictures 📸💘!
Their desserts are beyond adorable, but the absolute star of the show is their signature Fruit Gelee Drink. It’s a sparkling soda filled with massive chunks of fresh fruit floating inside. On a warm day, this sweet, tangy drink is the ultimate thirst quencher 🍹🌈
2:40 PM | Komuroyama Ridge Walk: The Part Where I Cried My Eyes Out
Okay, real talk time. We made a rookie traveler mistake. We ended up taking a little too long eating some local Soba near the station (which wasn’t even that great, to be honest), and by the time we figured out the bus schedule and made it to Komuroyama, it was 4:00 PM.
And guess what? The chairlift up the mountain closes at 3:45 PM. 😭 I literally wanted to sit on the pavement and cry!
I missed out on seeing the famous “matcha pudding” mountain view from the top, walking along the iconic glass bridge, and visiting the famous Café 321 💔💔. Learn from my heartbreak, girls: go to Komuroyama early! The buses can be sparse, and the chairlifts clock out early for the day.
4:00 PM | Jogasaki Coast & Kadowaki Suspension Bridge: Mint-Green Ocean Romance
Determined to save the afternoon, we headed straight to the Jogasaki Coast. Wow. Just wow.
The ocean here is a breathtaking, dreamy shade of mint-green, crashing against dramatic, jagged volcanic cliffs 🌊💚. We actually made it to the famous Kadowaki Suspension Bridge closer to 5:30 PM, which turned out to be a blessing because we caught the most stunning, glowing sunset over the Pacific 🌅✨.
⚠️ A Quick Warning:
The sun dips fast in Japan. Once the golden hour is over, it gets dark quickly, the trails can get a bit sketchy, and the mosquitoes come out to play. If you want those bright, glowing Instagram shots, try to arrive a bit earlier in the afternoon!
6:00 PM | Dinner: Fusion Perfection at Montagna
Heading back to Ito Station, we went hunting for dinner. Ito actually has a fantastic food scene compared to other rural spots. We chose a cozy little Western-Japanese fusion restaurant called Montagna.
It has such a warm, welcoming vibe, and the food was incredible—think comforting Italian classics with a refined Japanese twist 💕🍽️. Every dish felt super unique and home-cooked.
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped by a local AEON Supermarket. If you love snacks as much as I do, you have to hit up a Japanese grocery store at night! They markdown their fresh sashimi, premium yogurts, and seasonal fruits. We bought a massive haul to eat in our room. (Side note: Why does Japanese yogurt taste a million times better than back home? 🍓🥛)
8:00 PM | Back to the Onsen: Washing the Day Away
We ended our first night doing exactly what you’re supposed to do in Izu: soaking in the hot springs! We changed into our comfy yukata robes and headed to the bathhouse. It was such a relaxing, authentic experience, and my little boy had the absolute best time splashing around 🥰♨️
🦫 Day 2: Ultimate Cuteness, Volcano Walks, and Totoro Magic
9:00 AM | Breakfast Buffet Goals at Laforet
Pro-tip: Do not skip the breakfast buffet at Laforet Club Ito. It is an absolute feast of local Shizuoka ingredients, fresh seafood, and traditional Japanese breakfast sides ☀️🥐. We fueled up completely because Day 2 was packed with all the high-energy cuteness.
11:00 AM | Mt. Omuro: Walking on a Volcano
Our first official stop of the day was the iconic Mt. Omuro! The best thing about this spot? It is located directly across the street from the Izu Shaboten Zoo. Talk about a perfect two-for-one combo 🌟🙌!
Since it was the holiday season, the lines for the two-seater chairlift were a bit long, but riding it up to the summit was so fun. Standing on top of Mt. Omuro feels unreal—it’s an extinct volcano shaped like a perfect, smooth green bowl 🌲🥺. You can walk the entire 360-degree rim of the crater, and on a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji in the distance!
12:30 PM | Izu Shaboten Zoo: Obsessing Over Capybaras
After taking a million photos on the volcano, we walked right across the street to Izu Shaboten Zoo. This park is huge, so make sure to carve out at least 2 to 3 hours here ⏳🎈.
They have so many unique animals that you usually only see in anime or documentaries, and the park is filled with rows of giant, spectacular cacti 🌵✨. But let’s be real—the absolute stars of the show are the Capybaras!
You can actually buy snacks and feed them! They move so slowly, look so wonderfully clueless, and just radiate pure, unbothered, zen energy. I didn’t think I could love an animal this much, but seeing them in person? I totally lost my mind. They are too cute for this world 😭💖!
Before you leave, make sure to hit up their gift shop. It is a goldmine for adorable capybara plushies, stationery, and local Shizuoka matcha souvenirs 🛍️🥳.
3:30 PM | Izu Teddy Bear Museum: A Ghibli Fan’s Paradise
Next up, we took a short bus ride to the Izu Teddy Bear Museum. While the ground floor houses an incredible collection of antique, beautifully crafted teddy bears, the real draw for us was on the second floor: the My Neighbor Totoro Exhibition 🌿🐾!
Even if you don’t buy a ticket to go inside the main museum halls, the courtyard and shop are completely free to enter and incredibly photo-worthy. They have massive Totoro installations, a life-sized Catbus you can sit in, and a gift shop packed with limited-edition Studio Ghibli merch 🧸💕. We sat at their adorable garden café and had the most relaxing afternoon tea with a little teddy bear companion at our table.
6:00 PM | Dinner: Fresh Whitebait Bowls at Kuroshio Kongo
Back at Ito Station for our final dinner, we stopped by a local gem called Kuroshio Kongo.
We ordered their seasonal Shirasu-don (raw/fresh whitebait sashimi bowl). You can watch the chef prepare everything right in front of you at the counter, so you know the seafood is fresh! The fish literally melts in your mouth, and paired with the perfectly seasoned sushi rice, it was pure heaven. A total must-eat when visiting the Shizuoka coast 🍣🤤
7:00 PM | One Last Soak Before Saying Goodbye
We headed back to Laforet for one final, blissful soak in our private balcony tub ✨🛀.
The next morning, we boarded the super unique Kinme Train (a cute, red local train themed after the region’s famous Splendid Alfonsino fish) toward Atami, before making our way back up north to the airport. It was a trip filled with laughs, a few tears, and memories I’ll keep forever 🚂💨
📒Click here to view my Laforet review in this post
🌟 Hattie’s Travel Notes: The Ultimate Non-Driving Survival Guide
To save you guys from making the same mistakes I did, here is a quick cheat sheet for conquering East Izu without renting a car:
🚄How to Book the Saphir Odoriko:
Head to the official JR-EAST train booking site precisely one month before your trip. If you can score the Green Car, do it! But don’t worry, the standard car is gorgeous too 👑💎.
🏔️Mt. Omuro vs. Komuroyama:
They sound similar, but they are totally different! To get that classic photo of the round, perfect “matcha pudding” mountain from afar, you need to go to Komuroyama. To actually ride to the top of a volcano crater and look for Mt. Fuji, you go to Mt. Omuro. Do both if you can, but watch the clock for Komuroyama! 😭
🆓Mastering the Buses:
Traveling Izu via public transit is totally doable, but buses can be infrequent. The train gets you between major stations easily, but buses connect you to the sights (like Mt. Omuro and the Zoo). Download a reliable Japanese transit app (like Japan Travel by NAVITIME), look at the physical schedules at the stop the moment you arrive, and plan your exit times carefully 📌📅!
I hope you guys loved this Izu itinerary! I’ll be dropping detailed guides for the hotels, cafes, and spots real soon, so make sure to subscribe and stay tuned! See you in the next post! 💛🎀
💛 Hattie’s Choice｜ The Travel Essentials（Amazon edit）
💤 Fishers Finery 25 Momme Silk Mask
Say goodbye to that cheap, scratchy feel. The 25 momme thickness is a total game-changer for getting actual beauty sleep on a long-haul flight.👉click to shop
🕶️ Le Specs Outta Love Sunglasses
My ultimate “no-makeup” hack! Whether you just landed or you’re heading to the beach, this frame shape is so flattering on my face shapes.👉click to shop
🧳 Etekcity Digital Luggage Scale
A $10 gadget that saves you $100 in overweight fees. It comes with the battery included—total lifesaver for heavy packers like me!👉click to shop
🧻 Extra Large Floral Toilet Covers
These extra-large covers protect the entire seat, so you don’t have to worry about your skin (or your wide-leg pants or your kids) touching anything in public restrooms.👉click to shop
Cabin air is so drying, but this lip mask keeps my lips plump and hydrated all flight long. It’s pure luxury in a little jar.👉click to shop
One plug to charge them all. It’s fast, compact, and powers my phone, laptop, and headphones simultaneously.👉click to shop
The perfect detail for those “hand-holding-coffee” shots. It’s affordable, chic, and instantly elevates your vacation style.👉click to shop
The ultimate space-saver! These shrink your clothes so you can pack 30% more. Keeps your suitcase organized and chic.👉click to shop
📎 Perilogics Airplane Phone Holder
It’s a total hands-free essential for binging your favorite shows comfortably in the air.👉click to shop
👀 More brains, fits & trips on IG 👉 @hattiefoundthis
