Special Feature

A Journey around the City of Ito, Izu, to Soak Up the Atmosphere of the Hot Springs, History, and Panoramic Views of Nature

Author：rockemon

It’s been said that the warm waters of Izu are a miracle cure that heal the souls of everyone.

About 800 years ago, Minamoto no Yoritomo rehabilitated his wounded body and mind in Ito’s warmers, the first place in his banishment from Kyoto.

As is well known from the NHK Taiga drama “Kamakura-dono no Jusan-nin” (The 13 Lords of the Shogun), Yaehime, the daughter of Ito Sukechika, the feudal lord of Ito, provided him with help.

Yui Aragaki in the role of Yaehime and Yo Oizumi in the role of Minamoto no Yoritomo, seemed like a nicely matched couple in the beginning.

In fact, the point of rendezvous for the happy couple forever remains in Ito.

Well, first let’s set out on our ourney to the shrines and temples in Ito, where Yaehime and Yoritomo had their secret meetings!

今This time, on the second half of our journey, I decided to travel around a fair distance of the Ito highlands, so I chose to set out in a car.

So, the first thing I need to do is secure a place to park the car while I explore the town of Ito, with its intricate maze of roads.

There are some nice spots, so first let me introduce them to you.

A map of downtown Ito

A Stroll around the Port of Ito.

Looking out on Sagami Bay, Ito has a pleasant salty breeze from the sea.
There are some places you may want to stop by at in the port area.
First, we have Nagisa Park, which is right next to the port of Ito.

If you are visiting by car, the park has its own large parking lot, so if you park here, you’ll be conveniently situated near the center of the town of Ito, its Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) district, its temples and shrines, and other historical and cultural properties.

Off in the distance, we can also see the island of Hatsushima.

Hatsushima island from Nagisa Park

In Nagisa Park there are many sculptures, just like an open-air museum.

All of the sculptures in the park are by Kenji Shigeoka, a sculptor from the town of Ito.

After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, his works have been exhibited at public facilities, both at home here in Japan and abroad, at such locations as the Utsukushigahara Open Air Museum and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

I would like to take my time appreciating each one of them under the blue sky by the sea.

Nagisa Park

One more sightseeing spot that we can’t miss in the port of Ito is the ferry terminal to the island of Oshima.
This is a high-speed ferry that leaves the Ito Port Ferry Terminal every morning at 9:30 for Oshima.
The sight of the ship’s bright red hull pulling away from the wharf and making its way toward the islands is one that evokes the sentiments of a traveler.

• 
  A ferry leaving the Port of Ito
• 
  A ferry heading off into the distance

There used to be a ferry that left here for Hatsushima, but recently (perhaps because of the Covid pandemic?) the ferry from Ito has stopped running.

It’s too bad for me, as I almost always took the ferry to Hatsushima whenever I stayed in Ito.

Now, we can only see the ferry twice a day, when it leaves at 9:30 in the morning and when it comes back from Oshima at 4:25 in the evening.

Ferry timetable

Go for a stroll in the downtown area near Ito Station

Map of the area in front of Ito Station

First, let’s walk to Ito Station, and we will start our stroll from the downtown area in front of the station.
The first stop is Yunohana Dori Street near the station’s roundabout.
The revamped traditional shopping street of this hot spring town is a small alley lined with exotic fashionable restaurants.
Here and there are cute monuments to the Yukake-shichifukujin (The Seven Lucky gods enjoying the hot springs) and there is a stamp rally for visitors to enjoy.
On the stamp rally card, the blessings of the Seven Lucky gods are written as follows:

・Bishamonten：good fortune and calamity prevention courage and longevity ・Hotei：fulfillment of marriage negotiations attractiveness and the amassment of wealth ・Jurojin：longevity road safety ・Benzaiten：acquiring proficiency in the arts and sciences the goddess of wisdom and eloquence ・Ebisu：prayers for a good catch of fish navigation safety ・Daikokuten：good harvest wealth and property ・Fukurokuju：popularity, goodness, and happiness sound health

This author likes to fish and is a foodie, so I made wishes to Ebisu and Daikokuten.

• 
  The god Ebisu
• 
  The god Daikokuten

Another place to definitely visit is “Dekiyugongen” Shrine.
It is a tiny shrine that is suitable for the hot spring town of Ito.
The legend is that it was one of the original hot springs that produced hot water in abundance in this area during the Edo period.
It can be found a little further down the hill past the entrance Yunohana Dori.

• 
  Dekiyugongen

It’s small but it seems to be a place of good fortune.
Here, if you pray for luck on your journey, you may be sure to have good fortune befall you.
For the moment, I will stop to have lunch here and get ready for the afternoon tour of temples and shrines.
Meals are another fun aspects of travelling, aren’t they?

Marutaka, a fresh fish restaurant operated by a sales broker at the Ito fish market

Two minutes from Ito Station, the “Marutaka” fresh fish restaurant is on the left, just after you enter Yunohana Dori.

This restaurant is run by a sales broker from the Ito fish market and as might be expected, it has such a good reputation for its fresh fish, that there are people lined up outside at lunch time.

I waited about 20 minutes before I was finally able to get into the restaurant.

• 
  Marutaka Seafood Restaurant

Inside the shop there is a long row of seats in the back, and I was led to the seat furthest in the back.
Menus with recommendations line the walls everywhere, which creates the atmosphere of a local izakaya (a Japanese style pub).

Menus on a wall in Marutaka

What I ordered was the sashimi set meal.
As would happen at a fresh fish restaurant, within about five minutes a plate of fresh sashimi showed up on the table.

The sashimi set meal I ordered

As was expected the sashimi was without a doubt delicious.
Even though I wanted to order another dish, I felt a bit for those who were still waiting outside, so I left the restaurant, but the food was so great I hope to come again.

Well, once you are ready, head straight south for about one kilometer on the main road running in front of the station.
Cross the Matsukawa River and you end up in the old town district.
When you cross the bridge the first shrine you will visit – the Otonashi Shrine – comes into view.
After passing by the Hotel Dankoen and the Suruga Bank, which are representative of Ito, you will soon reach your nearby destination.

Stroll around the temples and shrines where Yaehime and Yoritomo had their secret meetings

A map of shrines and temples in Ito

■Otonashi Shrine

The place where Yoritomo was exiled to in Izu is commonly held to be the island of Hirugakojima in Nirayama, but it appears that the first place of exile for him was a place called “Kita no Kogosho,” near where Ito Station now sits.

At that time, the lord of Ito at that time was Ito Sukechika was posted in Kyoto as an Obanyaku (a posting assigned to samurai from outside the capital of Kyoto to maintain security there), Yoritomo and Ito Sukechika’s third daughter, Yaehime, had secret liaisons and developed a deep relationship, which led to the birth of a child, Chizurumaru.

Otonashi Shrine is where the two of them secretly nurtured their love.

Enshrined here is Toyotama-hime no Mikoto, who is believed to be the goddess of safe childbirth and the raising of children, and marriage.

The sound of the running waters of the Matsukawa (now known as the the Ito-Ogawa River) probably drowned out the whispers during their secret rendezvous.

Otonashi Shrine

However, once Ito Sukechika returned home from Kyoto, he erupted in fury upon finding out about this, and fearing being purged by the Taira clan, killed Chizurumaru upstream of the Matsukawa.

The pair’s relationship was torn to shreds by Sukechika was moved into further exile to Hirugakojima in Nirayama, while Yaehime was made to marry Ema no Koshiro.

The babbling of the Matsukawa

In the Taiga drama, Yui Aragaki’s Yaehime courageously endured and obeyed her father Sukechika, but how must the real Yaehime have felt?

■Higurashi Hachiman Shrine

The place where Yoritomo waited for Yaehime until sunset was the Higurashi Forest on the far side of the Matsukawa. On that site still stands the Higurashi Hachiman Shrine.

As I am one who knows the tragic ending to sad story, I can’t help but feel pity for Yoritomo’s waiting.

• 
  Higurashi Hachiman Shrine
• 
  Signboard at Higurashi Hachiman Shrine

■Saesei-ji Temple

If you go around Otonashi Shrine to the main street, you will come out at the temple gate for Saesei-ji Temple, which houses the graves of the Ito family.

It is said that made a later petition to Hojo Yoshitoki, who had become the second regent to the Kamakura Shogunate, asking for him to build this Saisei-ji Temple in which the deceased Chizurumaru was buried.

Temple gate at Saisei-ji

As it is the family temple of the most prominent family in Ito, it is a stately main hall.

It is a Zen temple belonging to the Soto sect and it has a simple structure that is befitting of the ancestral temple of a samurai family.

Perhaps it was planted by following generations, but I hear that the Japanese sago palm seen at the left flank of Saisei-ji Temple is a symbol of this temple.

The main hall of Saisei-ji Temple

Seated atop a lotus leaf on the right side of the main hall is Ichiyo Kannon.

Dogen Zenji, the founder of the Soto sect in Japan, was caught in a storm on his way back from training in China and nearly died, and the legend is that as he was chanting mantras with all his heart, Kannon-sama (the Buddhist deity of mercy) appeared astride the petals of a lotus flower, and the wind and rain immediately ceased.

The image of the figure sitting on its knees is familiar and sultry.

Ichiyo Kannon at Saisei-ji Temple

■The Mystery of Yaehime’s Suicide by Drowning

Thus far I have gone around to temples and shrines related to Yaehime, but after being torn apart by Sukechika, Yaehime could not forget Yoritomo, she followed Yoritomo to the manor of the Hojo family where he was sheltered and visited him there.

However, she was told by a retainer of the Hojo family that Yoritomo had had a change of heart.
He had already fallen deeply in love with Hojo Masako.

Then, as the legend goes, Yaehime, in despair, drowned herself in the Kano River nearby the Hojo residence.

At Shinjuin Temple, built on the banks of the Kano River, is Yaehime Hall, at which remains a signboard that describes the details of this incident.

Signboard at the front of Yaehime Hall

However, I have some questions here.

It was in 1180 when Ito Sukechika, upon finding out about Yaehime’s death, suddenly attacked the grounds of the Hojo family where Yoritomo was in hiding.

However, Saisei-ji Temple (which was still known as Saijo-ji Temple at that time) was said to have been established at around 1200, which would mean that Yaehime, who was supposed to have been dead, asked the regent Hojo Yoshitoki to build this temple in memoriam of Chizurumaru.

This is a bit strange, chronologically speaking, isn’t it?

So, what I conclude is that neither Yaehime’s suicide by drowning nor Chizurumaru’s murder actually took place.

Might it be that Yaehime’s suicide by drowning was false information given by Ito Sukechika to prevent Yaehime’s liaisons being disclosed to the Taira clan?

Chizurumaru was also still alive somewhere.

Thinking such a way is natural.

Say what you will, but would Sukechika have actually murdered his own grandson, who was the offspring of his daughter and an exile?

I believe this story to be unlikely.

Because, even today, every May in the town of Ito, they hold the “Ito Sukechika Festival”, which is a lively festival.

No matter how much of a lord he was, I don’t think they would hold a festival over the course of hundreds of years for someone who would not tear apart the love of his own daughter and order the murder of his grandson just to save himself.

It can be surmised, by the circumstances of this story, that there existed both a deep parental love from Ito Suechika and the deep trust of his people.

Even in the Taiga drama, Yaehime’s drowning was later treated as an accident.

■Kuzumi Shrine

Looking over the south side of the Matsukawa is the Kuzumi Shrine, which was built by Kudo Suketaka, the founder of the Ito family.
It is thought that the residences of the Ito family were in this area.
Yaehime must have gone to Kita no Kogosho to liaise with Yoritomo without her retainers knowing.

The main hall of Kuzumi Shrine

What you can’t overlook at Kuzumi Shrine is the camphor tree, which is designated as a national natural treasure and said to be one thousand years old.

Camphor trees are often planted alongside the gods as it is said that they are very effective in protection against insects and were often used as shipbuilding materials.

• 
  The camphor tree at Kuzumi Shrine

■The History of the Ito Family

Now here’s a little about the history of the Ito family.

The founder of the Ito family was Kudo Suketaka, a descendant of the Fujiwara family.

His domain began in Ito and extended along the eastern coast but failed in the division of his lands among his children.

He ended up handing down the central territory of Ito to his adopted second-eldest son, Kudo Suketsugu, instead of his eldest son, Sukeie.

On this basis, in the next generation, Sukeie’s son, Ito Sukechika, plundered the lands of Ito from the son of Suketsugu’s son, Kudo Suketsune, and the antagonism between them intensified. Kudo Suketsune issued an assassination order against Ito Sukechika, but Sukechika’s eldest son, Sukeyasu, was killed by mistake.

This led to the Soga brothers, the orphaned sons of Sukeyasu, taking revenge on Kudo Suketsune.

＜The Ito Family Tree＞

■Butsugenji Temple

Let’s leave behind the talk of the Ito family’s repetitive ghastly succession dispute and bloodletting, and make a stop at Butsugenji Temple, which is perched atop a hill in Ito that overlooks Sagami Bay.

It is said that this temple to have originated in 1261, when Nichiren Shonin had been exiled to Izu, but began residing in the Ito family’s Bishamondo Hall after curing the illness of the landowner Ito Sukemitsu.

The roof can be seen from Shaka Honbutsuden.

Shaka Honbutsuden at Butsugenji Temple

From here, you can look out onto downtown Ito, its port and Sagami Bay.
When I visited, it happened to be February 3rd, so a Setsubun party was being held in the main hall.

The main hall of Butsugenji Temple

Nichiren Shonin led a difficult life and had multiple conflicts with the Kamakura Shogunate without wavering from his beliefs, but he became a beloved figure among the local lords and people in the two years he spent in Izu, the place of his exile.

Butsugenji Temple here is a famous Nichiren sect temple and it used to be on the same level as the head temple as Minobu-san, and in Izu there are other temples associated with Nichiren Shonin, such as Renkei-ji in Kawana and Renchaku-ji on the Jogasaki coast.

On the first day of our journey, we have so far visited the temples and shrines in Ito where Yaehime and Yoritomo spent there liaisons together.

So, let’s return to the hot spring inn town that the Matsukawa runs through and observe its historical and cultural assets.

The Tokai-kan with Its Retro Showa Era Style

The Tokai-kan, which was once the oldest ryokan in Ito, was established on the banks of the Matsukawa in 1928 as a three-story wooden hot spring inn, which was rare for that time.

The main entrance of the Tokai-kan

It’s been said that first-rate craftsmen selected at that time put their skills to good use, which can be seen throughout the beautiful settings of its Japanese architecture, evident everywhere – such as in the building’s entrance, corridors, and guest rooms.

The ryokan unfortunately went out of business in 1997 but was revived as a cultural asset in 2001 and is now a tourist attraction in Ito.

• 
  Portrait of Anjin Miura

The Tokai-kan is a cultural asset that is worth visiting, with its rooms dedicated to people with ties to Izu, such as Heihachiro Togo’s room, Suechika Ito’s room, and Anjin Miura’s room, and there are other rooms that have wooden sculptures on display.

Large public bath at the Tokai-kan

What’s more is that on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, its large tiled public bath is open, making it a bustling hot spring facility.
Tea and sweets as well as light meals can be enjoyed in the tearoom.

The Tokai-kan is not currently available to take guests, but the neighboring K’s House can provide accommodation.

The Matsukawa River and K’s House

This is also a registered tangible cultural property that was built 100 years ago, but it is a ryokan run by K’s House, which operates guesthouses throughout Japan.

Those who are fond of the retro Showa-era atmosphere frequent this inn.
This is one of the few ryokans where you can get a taste of the atmosphere of an authentic hot spring ryokan for a reasonable price.

K's House

The first day of our trip ends here.

For tomorrow, I’ve decided to go on an outing to enjoy the panoramic views of nature that will begin from Izu-Kogen Station in the Ito area.

Getting One’s Fill of the Large Panorama A Trip to Izu-Kogen (Izu Highlands)

On day two, we will take a walking journey from Izukyu/Izu-Kogen Station to the Jogasaki Coast and Mt. Omuro.
We will leave on our trip early in the morning and head toward Izu-Kogen on Route 136.

Overall map of the Jogasaki Coast and Izu-Kogen

■Jogasaki Kadowaki Suspension Bridge

Map to the Jogasaki Coast

In my car on the way from Ito to Izu-Kogen, I turned left on Route 136 and stopped at the Kadowaki Suspension Bridge on the Jogasaki Coast.
It’s not an easy place to get to on foot, as it takes over an hour if you walk there from Jogasaki Station.
This spot is where a lot of suspenseful TV dramas and movies are shot on location.
The part at the end of a two-hour drama where the bad guy is cornered and gives a monologue is often filmed here.
I had high hopes for today as well when I visited, but unfortunately there were only a lot of tourists who had come there in large sightseeing buses as usual.
After crossing the suspension bridge, I came to the Kadowakisaki Lighthouse.
I had heard that the view from the 17-story observation deck is spectacular, but the spiral staircase is quite steep, so I changed my mind on going up there.

• 
  Jogasaki Kaigan Kadowaki Suspension Bridge
• 
  Jogasaki Coastal Cliff
• 
  Kadowakizaki Lighthouse

First, allow me to introduce the area around Izu-Kogen Station, which is where we’ll start from.

The station building is surrounded by cottages and its modern interior gives a sense of space.

The premises of Izu-Kogen Station

Yamamo Plaza, which abuts the station, has a variety of restaurants and a hall in which wooden furniture is on display, making it simply nice just to be here.

Shops line the courtyard of Yamamo Plaza, where you can take some time to relax.

Going out the station building, the Izu-Kogen Footbath is just on your left.

Footbath in front of Izu-Kogen Station

The space is big enough to accommodate many people who wish to enjoy the footbath.

After relaxing in the footbath, let’s first venture toward Tsushima Falls on the Jogasaki Coast.

After exiting Yamamo Plaza, proceed alongside of the small supermarket "Nagaya Yawatano Store" and then you will see a railroad crossing.
Traverse the crossing and walk straight until you come to a waterway, then go along the waterway in the direction of the sea for about 10 minutes.

When you reach the end of the road, make a left and you will soon reach Tsushima Falls.

Map to Tsushima Falls

Tsushima Falls flows directly from the waterway into the sea, and the view from the observatory is spectacular when there is a lot of water.

Around this area, the coastline scenery is also outstanding, so much so that you can lose track of time while clicking the shutter of your camera a lot.

Tsushima Falls

After returning to the roundabout at the station, there’s drive to the lift at Mt. Omuro.

Route map to Mt. Omuro

After about 20 minutes of driving through the highlands, I pass through a cottage area lined with luxurious buildings and arrive at the station for the Mt. Omuro lift in front of the Shaboten Park.

Mt. Omuro Lift Station

From here, after a 5-minute ride on the steep lift you will arrive at the edge of the Mt. Omuro crater.

So, let’s go for a walk on the course that circles the crater.

Mt. Omura Crater

It takes about 40 minutes to walk the 800m around the crater, but if you take a look down, all seven Izu islands are visible, floating there in the ocean.

Izu Oshima Island seen from Mt. Omuro

The view is so breathtaking that it causes the people to jam up on the promenade.

Though Mt. Fuji was just visible, beyond the mountains of Izu, it looked beautiful.

Mt. Fuji from Mt. Omuro

After enjoying the panoramic view from the top of Mt. Omuro, return to Route 135 and drive in the direction of the Roadside Station Marine Town, in Ito.

A New Landmark in Ito: Roadside Station Marine Town

Roadside Station Marine Town

When you drive along the east coast of the Izu Peninsula, as soon as you enter the city of Ito, you will see Roadside Station Marine Town, which sits along the seaside.

This facility is characterized by beautifully colored buildings that may remind of a European resort.
Inside there are many restaurants, souvenir shops, a spa, and an observation terrace, making this a bustling tourist spot.

Inside Marine Town

The view of the Ito coastline from here is spectacular, and the sound of camera shutters clicking never ceases.

View from Marine Town

As you can see, there is a yacht harbor alongside, which adds excitement to the mood of the trip.

Sightseeing boats also operate from here, from where visitors can view the coastline and the facilities of Marine Town from the sea.

This is a recommended sightseeing spot for road trip travelers.

I decided to purchase a local specialty from Ito, Guricha and Matcha Pudding at the souvenir shop in the Marine Town.

Guricha and Matcha Pudding

Guricha is a deep steamed green tea and since there is no shaping process for the leaves, they are not damaged and the original flavor of the tea can be extracted, resulting in a mild taste with reduced astringency.

The matcha pudding made with guricha is especially delicious, and the one made by a creative local confectioner, Isshin, is the type that you have with a lot of dark molasses, which is always a must-have.

Trip Summary

This time round, we enjoyed a trip that focused on going around Ito, a hot spring town, with its temples and shrines, and we also to a trip to Izu Kogen to enjoy the great outdoors.

Despite its history of tragic endings to romance, succession disputes, and being a place of exile, Ito is a holiday destination where many people come to seek out its healing hot springs.

On my way home, I stopped once again at Nagisa Park near the Port of Ito, where I could hear the passionate whispers of a young couple, like a modern-day Yaehime and Yoritomo.